Tripp’s Tips for Traveling After COVID-19

While the truth is that we likely won’t be traveling for fun for a bit longer, it’s important to remember that this will come to an end — and hopefully sooner rather than later! And when the time comes, how we travel will look a bit different than before.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

So when quarantines are lifted and fun trips to Mexico are socially (and legally) acceptable, here are a few things you should consider as you make your post-COVID plans!

1. Continue to Practice Social Distancing and Hygiene Etiquette

Let’s be honest, nobody wants to sit next to somebody on a plane who is coughing their brains out without covering their mouths — even pre-COVID. And it’s true that as a society, we’re learning and practicing some great habits that will hopefully keep people from getting other viruses and illnesses in the future.

While social distancing practices can hopefully relax in the months and years to come, here are some important travel hygiene practices that should probably just be here to stay:

• Cover your mouth when you cough. This one should go without saying, but we’re saying it anyways! From here on out, when you need to clear your throat, do so in your elbow, mask, or a tissue and preferably not right next to someone else.
• Wash your hands. If anything good comes out of this pandemic it’s that billions of people are finally learning to wash their hands. Grab some soap, turn on the warm water, and rinse for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important when you’re traveling and coming into contact with who knows what.
• Touch as few things as possible and don’t touch your face. Handrails, escalators, buttons, and doorknobs — there are so many opportunities to spread and gather germs while traveling. Whenever possible, avoid touching things, including your own face.
• Give a little extra space. We don’t need to stand two inches behind the person in front of you. “Social distancing” is definitely a buzzword right now, but it’s a great practice. After all of this over, just imagine the person in front of you has the flu and then adjust accordingly.

  
  Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

2. Buy Flexible Flights and Check Refund Policies

Hopefully we can rest easy once all of this is all said and done, but if COVID-19 has revealed anything, it’s that you never know what’s around the corner.

If you’re at all worried about needing to cancel your travels — whether it’s due to a pandemic or some other life event — it’s vital to do a little digging when it comes to cancellation policies and refunds. Airlines like Southwest offer flexible cancellations on all of their flights, while other airlines have flex options available for purchase.

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

3. Be Prepared

Resources might be scarce now, but it’s a good idea to take your next opportunity to grab these essential items for your post-COVID trip:

• A Cloth Mask — This mask doesn’t need to be surgical and you don’t need a full-on hazmat suit (save those for our Healthcare Heros), but it’s likely that the CDC will recommend everyone where basic cloth masks out for some time.
• Travel Hand Sanitizer — While it doesn’t beat washing your hands, hand sanitizer is a great little friend to have on hand (pun intended) while traveling.
• Clorox Wipes — Where there are people, there are germs, and where there are germs, there should also be some good wipes. Grab yourself some Clorox wipes and next time you travel be sure to wipe down the main surfaces you use — the tray table, TV screens, etc.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

4. Stay Up-To-Date On All Things Virus

As we all know at this point, things in the world of viruses can change in an instant and it’s possible that we might arrive at a false-summit here in the next few months. Things might seem like they are back to normal, but there’s a chance this thing could return. Thankfully, our governments will know how to better handle — and hopefully treat — COVID-19 if that happens.

With that said, when you do choose to travel in the coming months, it’s important to be in the know regarding the status of the virus, especially when it comes to deciding where you’re headed, since some nations will likely be in the clear before others. The World Health Organization is an awesome resource and will likely continue to be in the months to come.

Ready to start dreaming up your post-COVID trip? Visit The Tripp Hub to get started!