Traveling Safely Through a Pandemic

The last few months have not been easy on anyone, as people have been forced to stay home, limit movement and interactions with others, some have lost their jobs, and even worse, some have lost their loved ones. For social people and those that enjoy traveling, it has been especially challenging. It is not a normal thing to have our ability to travel taken away, as we are not allowed in certain countries due to the extent of the virus spread in our own. We have been encouraged NOT to see our friends and socialize for fear of further spreading COVID to those who are most vulnerable. Now that our economy (for better or worse) is starting to reopen and we are gaining back some freedom, it is important not to let our guard down and to keep doing our part to keep ourselves as healthy as possible. Having said this, it is possible to travel/road trip at this time and still give yourself the best opportunity to stay healthy while still enjoying yourself. It is possible to have some normalcy in this time of craziness, we just have to be careful! 

Travel Tips

When going on a road trip, if you are going with other people, I would say the first step would be to all get tested before traveling. This way you know you are all starting healthy and virus-free, and there will be no spread among travelers in the vehicle. This also alleviates the need for a mask when driving in a car with others. It is also encouraged to limit your stops when on a road trip. That actually goes for everyone right now, traveling or not. Unnecessary stops mean interactions with strangers, which is obviously not suggested right now. When you do have to stop and enter a place of business, please wear a mask and try to stay as far away from others. Eating in a restaurant is not necessarily encouraged, but it probably does have to happen at least a few times when on a road trip. In this instance, please try to sit as far away from others as possible. Restaurants (at least those enforcing it) should have tables far enough apart from others where you feel ok taking your mask off to eat. Outside dining is preferred. Have plenty of hand sanitizer both on your person and in the car, so you can keep your hands clean after touching surfaces and silverware at a restaurant. Some people have brought their own silverware to eat, that is a solid idea as well.

Be extra diligent in wiping surfaces and cleaning when staying in a hotel...you really do not know how much detail has been spent on sanitizing your room, so you may want to do it yourself. Bringing your own sheets and linens is not a terrible idea either. Wear a mask anytime you are interacting with strangers! I cannot stress this enough. When you interact with someone, you are basically interacting with everyone they’ve interacted with without a mask. There is plenty of research that shows that the masks are effective in reducing the risk of spread through particles in the air. They may be uncomfortable, but it is a minor inconvenience to you with a fairly substantial reward. 

With the right precautions and diligence, it is possible to travel safely during these uncertain times. You can take the right preventative steps to give yourself the best chance of staying healthy and still have fun! Life will be back to “normal” eventually, but we have to stay careful in order to get there. For more information on how chiropractic can help you stay healthy, click here to contact us.