Many people will travel to see loved ones for the holidays, whether it’s for Christmas, New Year’s, or another occasion. In light of the rise in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the world and the emergence of more transmissible variants, it is crucial to keep an eye out for symptoms of COVID-19, get vaccinated as soon as it is your turn, and always adhere to public health and social measures to help prevent transmission (that is, Delta, and Omicron).
This is especially crucial to keep in mind if you plan to travel over the holidays with Skycapnews and are at risk of being exposed to the coronavirus. Even if a COVID-19 test comes back negative before your trip, you should still be on the watch for signs of disease.
Here are six things you can do to keep yourself and your family safe this holiday season:
When going outside, you should always wear a mask:
Public transportation passengers, including those on airplanes, are required by the CDC to wear protective face coverings. Because of this, we can confidently say, “Masking works, and it prevents you from catching COVID-19 and preventing you from spreading the virus to other people if you are ill and don’t know it. Have a mask that fits well and is comfortable to wear for the duration of your trip.
Check COVID-19 rates where you are going.:
Check local COVID-19 infection rates. Even if you’re immunized, you can catch COVID-19 in a hotspot. Before booking international travel, U.S. citizens can check the State Department’s travel advisory page for information on virus outbreaks and entry restrictions. Vaccination history may affect these. Vaccinated foreign nationals are exempt from mandatory testing in Europe.
Get away from the hordes of other tourists:
You can allow yourself a bit more personal space in the terminal than you will on the airline, train, or bus. Keep at least 6 feet of space between you and the next person. It is crucial to wash your hands often and carry disinfectant wipes because many viruses and germs can survive on surfaces even though COVID-19 is largely communicated through the air.
Don’t travel if you feel sick:
You shouldn’t travel if, during the past 14 days, you’ve been in contact with someone who is ill with or has shown symptoms of COVID-19. As an added precaution, you shouldn’t travel with someone who is sick. Even if the infected person does not have COVID-19, they may still be able to spread it to others if they have a previous condition.
Carry a wipe:
Maintain a supply of sanitary wipes at all times to protect yourself from contamination. The cabin of the Aeroplan is disinfected between each trip by the flight attendants, but you can also use the sanitizing wipes that are provided to further sanitize your personal space. It is not a source of embarrassment to tidy up your seat on an Aeroplan, train, or bus if you feel the need to do so.
Take care to enter the region with caution.
- Once you get to your destination, don’t let your guard down on preventing the spread of COVID-19.
- Please keep at least one meter of space between yourself and the vehicle’s doors as you enter, wait in line for, or exit.
- Follow the COVID-19 protocol established by local authorities while arriving at a station, port, or airport.
- When possible, crack the windows to let in some fresh air.
- Seek quick medical assistance if you see any symptoms of COVID-19. However, the most commonly reported symptoms of COVID-19 infection are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Other, less common symptoms include a lack of taste or smell, stuffy nose, conjunctivitis (red eyes), sore throat, headache, muscle or joint pain, skin rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, and disorientation.
