Covid-19 travel measures
The emergence of COVID-19 in December 2019 affected a lot of things in global mobility, travel was one of the things that were disrupted. This is due to travel restrictions that were enacted by specific governments to curb the spread of the virus, this led to the introduction of new measures that ensured safe travel.
COVID-19 is spread when respiratory droplets of a person infected with the virus come in contact with another person, this can be through coughing, sneezing or when one speaks. It can also be passed from one person to another through touching contaminated surfaces then touching their nose, mouth, or eyes.
Due to this risk of transmission, travel organization was forced to streamline they travel plan in accordance to WHO guidelines to avoid the spread of COVID-19. Here are some of the COVID-19 travel information:-
Covid-19 Travelers Testing
Testing travelers before and after is a proven way to reduce the spread of COVID-19, though it does not eliminate all the risk involved, when paired with other precautions like social distancing and proper wearing of mask it makes travelers feel safer and also reduces the chances of spreading the virus with a higher percentage.
Mandatory temperature screening for passengers in entry and exit points can assess a large number of victims while minimizing healthcare exposures and limiting the spread of COVID-19. High temperature has been proven to be a central point in the detection of COVID-19 since it one of the earliest and frequently reported signs of the illness.
Optimal temperature-based testing is one that involves personal and environmental factors and also considers the present fever threshold. This measure ensures that a person whose temperature exceeds 37.5 C is restricted from accessing site operation, buildings, and traveling.
Planning Ahead
The new normal of life brought by COVID-19 requires a lot of adjusting and changes, like in traveling planning ahead was not an issue but it is today. This is due to measures put in place by different governments to curb the spread of the virus in their territories, Some of these measures are:-
● Getting tested 1-3 days before your travel date. This guideline has been put in place by most governments and the World Health Organization, a copy of the results in needed in the application of travel and a strict follower of destination requirements.
● Getting tested 3-5 days after travel is to show if one may have contracted COVID-19 on their way back. In return, one is supposed to self-quarantine for 14 days if tested and a total of 21 days if not tested.
● If one is eligible to get COVID-19 vaccines, he/she should take about 2 weeks after getting the second dose to travel.
This is because the body takes time to build protection after administration of any vaccination.
Moving from one place to another is a part of us, in this new era of COVID-19 its more complicated than it was a while ago, understanding guidelines that are in place in our own country and in those countries that we are visiting is one of the ways we can travel freely and safely. Stay safe!