How to Travel Safely — Coronavirus Travel Safety Awareness
With constant news coverage surrounding the novel coronavirus and the general media outlets fueling a flame of anxiety and fear, it can be easy to panic. It’s important to remember that if you are of a healthy age, this virus presents only a minuscule danger to you.
Can you still travel during the outbreak?
Depending on where you live, the answer is, in almost every case, yes.
Are planes safe?
If you take some precautions, the answer is also yes.
While reports of the disease’s spread can cause some worry, if you take general precautions, you can prevent Coronavirus — even while traveling.
How is Coronavirus Transmitted?
The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a respiratory disease, much like the flu and past outbreaks of diseases such as SARS.
This means it is primarily transmitted through particulates from the breath and mouth of an infected person.
For instance, if a person with the virus coughs or sneezes on an object and you subsequently touch that object and then touch your face, mouth, nose, or eyes, you have a chance of contracting the disease.
The novel coronavirus has a relatively short lifespan outside of the body compared to other diseases, but it can still survive for a number of days.
Coronavirus Symptoms
Most people who contract COVID-19 supposedly may never realize they have the disease. The overwhelming majority of cases are mild and can be compared to a severe cold or the typical flu.
While the disease is still new and not well understood, there are some symptoms that seem to affect the majority of coronavirus patients.
The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure, according to the CDC:
● Cough
● Fever
● Shortness of breath
In more extreme cases, this new virus may cause pneumonia, even to a severe degree. If this is the case, you may need assistance breathing via oxygen or respirator and should seek assistance at a hospital.
Should I Be Afraid of The Coronavirus While Travelling?
As stated earlier, if you are a young person with no underlying health issues, you have very little cause for fear. Nevertheless, you should still take precautions.
If you don’t have the disease, you should do all you can to avoid contracting it as well as spreading it. While it might not be dangerous to you, it could be dangerous to someone with a compromised immune system.
Should I Travel by Plane or by Cruise?
Traveling by plane is considered to still be safe as long as you frequently use hand sanitizer as well as sanitizing wipes to wipe down the area around your seat. The air in the plane is not only constantly being filtered by advanced air filters, but it is also hardly recycled throughout the plane. New air is cycled in from the outside of the plane regularly.
Typically, when it comes to being inside the plane, you should have little to worry about. However, public places with a lot of people, such as airports, could be more dangerous. You should be careful not to touch your face and clean your hands after touching anything, such as a handrail.
When it comes to traveling by cruise ship, the United States Government has recommended against taking cruises right now since many cases have been reported on these ships. Living day after day in such close quarters is very conducive to contracting a disease.
How to Protect Yourself From COVID-19 While Travelling
As we mentioned early, taking some basic precautions should be enough to keep yourself and your family safe from the novel coronavirus.
Use these general precautions to protect yourself while traveling:
● Don’t touch your face with your hands
● Wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer after touching anything such as a handrail
● Wear a facemask if you feel sick to protect others and your family
There are thousands of passengers passing through airports such as the LAX airport on a daily basis. Keep this in mind whenever you touch something in the airport or at your seat.
A Safe Alternative to Ride Shares and Public Transportation
Being in a car or a bus with people who you don’t know can be an unnecessary risk while traveling. If it’s absolutely necessary, make sure to take precautions by not touching your face after touching anything that may have been touched by another person.
Driving yourself to the airport and skipping the Uber or bus, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak, maybe a smart choice. You also might be surprised as to how much cheaper and convenient it can be.
How to Find Cheap Airport Parking
When you drive yourself, the only obstacle you will face is finding the right parking. Thankfully, there is a useful website (and app) for finding the best deals on airport parking.
For instance, if you are traveling from the Los Angeles airport, you can simply go to Way.com, enter “LAX airport parking” and all of the cheapest and closest parking spots will appear as search results.
Is Uber Really Cheaper Than Driving Yourself to The Airport?
Some people think that after factoring in airport parking and gas that taking an Uber is cheaper.
But is that really the case?
Fares to and from airports are consistently higher when using rideshare apps such as Uber or Lyft. Depending on your distance, a one-way trip can be upwards of $30 — this puts your roundtrip Uber at +$60.
On the other hand, if you are paying $8/day for parking, you can spend the whole weekend for just $24 plus gas.
On top of the money saved, you will be safer from the coronavirus outbreak inside your own car.
No matter how you choose to travel, it’s important to stay safe.
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