Although we are still in the middle of a pandemic, many countries are welcolming visitors, so there are more travel options available now than there were. With that, a lot of us are ready to book those flights we have been waiting to take and visit those countries or cities we have been meaning to check off our travel list. However, as we venture out again, things are not going to be the same. There are going to be more protocols in place and new ways to travel to limit the spread of infection. Here are a few ways you can keep yourself safe when traveling in the current pandemic.

Get Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is purchased in the event your trip gets canceled or you have to cut your trip short, perhaps if there is an illness or an injury whilst you are traveling. The insurance helps you find the medical help you need and helps you to financially take care of things until you get back home. You might need special travel insurance if you have a current illness or are currently undergoing treatment for something. What’s great about travel insurance with medical conditions is that it allows you to still be abe to travel and not worry about potential hospital bills. It’s costs more than ordinary travel insurance, but Covid-19 is covered in the plan. If for any reason you are infected or exposed to Covid-19 you don’t have to worry about not having access to help. You will be required to quarantine and you will be stuck where you are for about a week and a half, but with the insurance, this won’t have large financial implications for you.

Pack Your Masks and Hand Sanitiser

All airlines require that you wear a mask on board, so you should already have your mask packed. To be the safest you can be, it should be an FFP2 mask. If you are travelling by train, or by car with anyone outside your household, you should also wear a mask. Pack backup masks as well as there may be times where you are feeling uncomfortable and want to put one on, or you may be going to a country that requires masks everywhere you go.

Hand sanitiser will come in handy especially when you aren’t going to be near a sink with water and soap. It should be a 70% alcohol gel too, to be able to kill Covid-19 germs. With hand sanitizer among your things, you are going to have the ability to make sure your hands are clean, germ free, and not spreading germs to other surfaces.

Be Flexible

The biggest thing you can do for your trip is to be flexible. Things have the ability to change by the second in a pandemic. Businesses and restaurants are open one day and then closed the next. Flights leave at one time of day, but at the last minute may be changed to accommodate needs. Don’t get stressed out. The best thing you can be is flexible and expect that things are going to change even if they don’t. It is a tough time for everyone, and coming out of a pandemic is not easy. It takes some time and some adjusting until everyone hits on something that works for them and works for everyone else as well.

Be Prepared to Get Tested

A lot of countries will not allow you to enter or leave without a Covid-19 test. Some people have never had to have a Covid test done before and this may be the first time. Be prepared to get tested, as for a lot of places it’s what is going to be required of you. Just know that the test is to help you and make sure that wherever you are going is safer for everyone. Tests can add on a bit of money to the cost of your trip, so make sure you budget for this. Before you go, see what the testing protocols are for your destination and for your own home country. If you need a test at all, book it right away and have your time slot all set up so that you can get tested and get the results back in enough time to make your flight, go to an event, or return home.

Stay Away From Large Groups

Until the pandemic is over, stay away from large groups while you are away. Concerts and outdoor events can sometimes cram people into one location where you will be standing shoulder to shoulder with a lot of strangers, and if you are in a country that is not your own, you may be in a place that does not have as good vaccine uptake or practice as many Covid safety measures.

Enjoy yourself. Why not head to a unique destination in Europe!

You can see what i’m up to over on my Instagram.