Tips for traveling safely during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Coronavirus pandemic caused a sudden halt in global travel and several health authorities continue to recommend staying home over traveling, since travel increases your risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. However, the need to get away and recharge probably feels more necessary now than ever before. But our willingness to travel is based on our perception of the risk associated with the current COVID-19 pandemic (which is far from over). Besides the evident health risk and fear to be admitted in a hospital in a foreign country, there’s also the risk of being confronted with an unexpected quarantine, a region- or country-wide lockdown, and cancellations/rebookings of flights. The more people travel, or hear about people travelling, the more we’re exposed to and experience the risk, and the more we feel the need to deal (and live) with it. Our willingness to travel will increase the more we know about what it’s like and how confident we feel. While safety is never 100% guaranteed, here are some tips to consider if you are willing to take a trip during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Basic safety rules
• Choosing your destination
• What to expect during a flight
• What to expect at a hotel