Travel

TRAVEL WELL with Kate Springer

With COVID-19 spreading rapidly across Europe, the UK and North America, many of us are rethinking our travel plans - and rightly so. Social distancing is one of the most effective ways to curb the spread of the virus, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

That makes my job as a travel writer a little bit tricky, though, since it’s nearly impossible to keep a “safe distance” of 1-3 metres from other people during transit. The potential of catching the disease or unwittingly infecting others is simply too risky, so I have postponed upcoming trips to Switzerland, Germany, France and the US. It breaks my travelloving heart, but I have optimistic hopes of rescheduling later this summer.

Of course, not everyone has the luxury of postponing their trips. For those who have to travel for work, attend a funeral, visit loved ones, or seek out specialised medical care, I’ve compiled a mix of pragmatic advice from the WHO, US Center for Disease Control, and the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (plus my own two cents) to help plan your journey.

1. PURCHASE INSURANCE. If your intended destination is not considered “high risk,” you can still buy comprehensive travel insurance to cover potential flight and hotel cancellations, delays and medical expenses, including emergency evacuation and repatriation. That said, many policies have excluded coronavirus-related claims in the small print, so be sure to read the terms carefully.

2. BE MILITANT ABOUT HYGIENE. Pack lots of hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes in your carry-on, so you can wipe down all of the surfaces - including your tray table, seatbelt, magazines, remote control and armrests - before using them.

Scough

LARQ Bottle

3. DON’T TOUCH THE SEAT-BACK POCKET. Even though airlines are ramping up sanitation efforts between flights, this is still bound to be one of the dirtiest areas of the plane. People stick their trash, used tissues and feet in there, so avoid this black hole of germs at all costs.

4. BYO-TRAVEL PILLOW. Instead of using the reusable pillows on board, bring a pillow that’s easy to wash, like the Trtl Pillow. It has a removable cover that can be thrown in the washing machine along with your travel clothes. global.trtltravel.com

5. SANITISE YOUR WATER. Reusable water bottles are better for the planet, but they tend to collect germs. Solving the problem, the LARQ Bottle claims to eliminate up to 99.9999 percent of bio-contaminants via a self-cleaning process every two hours. livelarq.com

6. BE A TEAM PLAYER. Wear a face mask in public areas, so you don’t unwittingly spread the virus to those around you. Masks all sold out? Invest in a Scough. Comfy and colourful, these fashionable alternatives come with industrial-grade air filters that neutralise pollution, allergens and airborne particles, while keeping your sneezes to yourself. scough.com

7. WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS. By now, we all know that hand hygiene is essential. Thoroughly scrub your hands with soap regularly throughout your trip, especially before eating. And don’t touch your face! Seriously, stop it!

8. BUDGET EXTRA TIME. Airports around the world have set up mandatory health checkpoints, where you must have your temperature taken and disclose your health and travel history before proceeding to immigration. This can take anywhere from two minutes in Macau to two hours in the US, so plan accordingly.

9. STAY INFORMED. Before and during travel, monitor your destination regularly via the WHO or your country’s official travel advisory, as the situation can change from hour to hour. who.int

Trtl Pillow

Kate Springer is an Asia travel expert who contributes to Conde Nast Traveler, Vogue, CNN, BBC Travel, Forbes Travel Guide, Fodor’s, Vice, and more. Follow her travels on Instagram @katespringer. Send travel news to kate@kate-springer.com