News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. Jan. 6, 20201: Following news of a new variant of SARS-nCoV-2 – the virus that started the Covid-19 pandemic, countries across the globe scrambled to ban international flights in a bid to prevent the virus from reaching their shores. With Chile and Brazil reporting the very first cases of the variant in Latin America, people in the region are worried about another series of lockdown measures to be implemented anytime soon.
Until then, you might want to take this opportunity to accomplish your first local travel plans of the year. Then again, the question remains: How safe will you be as you travel from point to point? It’s always best to come prepared, so here are a few tips to remember:
1. Plan ahead
Spontaneous travels should be set aside for the sake of safety. Whether you are planning to visit Machu Picchu or hitting the beach, it is important to do some research. Most transportation hubs and travel agencies require travelers to submit certain documents on top of a 14-day quarantine period. To be sure, you can contact the local health and tourism agency of your destination and check if there are any travel restrictions or health checkpoints you should be aware of.
2. Take the car
While public transportation is allowed to operate in some areas, the level of transmission is still high even with social distancing measures in place. As much as possible, consider driving in your own car towards your destination. That way, you can avoid unnecessary contact and reduce the risk of exposure to the virus. Be sure to identify which routes to take and plan where you are going to spend the night if the trip lasts for more than a day. Lastly, you will need to have your car serviced weeks before your scheduled trip. This should give you enough time to fix any broken parts and change fluids.
3. Bring along extra essentials
With the new variant now detected in Latin America, you might want to be equipped with the right amount of protection. For this, it is important to bring along extra face masks, hand sanitizers, and alcohol bottles. If you expect to eat outside, make sure to use your own utensils that were properly sterilized a day before.
4. Be mindful wherever you go
Your best protection against the virus and other dangers is awareness. Before you enter any establishment, check to see if social distancing rules are enforced. You also need to know if other health protocols are followed. Apart from that, you might want to check if the building itself is stable and if it passes environmental and health standards. Even without the pandemic in mind, you should watch out for places that raise your exposure to viruses, slip and fall injuries, and high concentrations of asbestos which, according to Bergman Legal, lead to mesothelioma.
With the COVID-19 pandemic still in our midst, we can only adapt by following simple measures, especially when we are traveling. If you need to go somewhere during the first weeks of 2021, make sure to follow the tips above to make your travels stress-free and safe.
