Traveling With the Threat of Covid
Airports are empty flying only 10 to 20 percent of what was their normal amount of traffic.
I must first preface this by saying one should travel at their own risk. This is by no means a comprehensive guide and I am by no means an expert. This list has been compiled through research of trusted sources but has been altered into my own words which may or may not have changed the original intended meaning. Some airlines and airports are suggesting air travel is now safe following the new guidelines and rules they have put into place, but the risk of getting infected still lingers. Travel at your own risk and know this article is not a professional guide by any means. By following anything listed here, you are doing so at your own risk.
If you do decide to travel, the bare minimum one should follow are these simple guidelines provided by the CDC and WHO. These guidelines can reduce the chances of getting infected.
CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html)
WHO (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public)
Wash your hands frequently
Avoid touching ones face
Wear a mask
Stand at least 6ft/2m apart from others
Following these rules can reduce the risk of getting infected during daily life, but when you step foot into an airport you are met with an additional set of obstacles and increased risk. Remember that standing 2 meters apart should be excersised at all times. This includes entering or exiting an aircraft, in a security line, standing in line to get food, check-in counter, etc.
One should also have proper procedure for washing hands. This includes the recommended amount of time and method of washing hands as well as the proper procedure after you wash your hands. It doesn’t help touching a door knob that may be infected after you finished possibly cleaning off the virus from your hands.
Lets start with the first step in traveling, packing. Washing hands should be the first method of cleaning ones hands, but that doesnt mean you cant have a TSA approved bottle of hand sanitizer with you. TSA approved are the keywords here because if the bottle does not meet the size requirement for contained liquid, security will take it away.
Once at the airport, you should be wearing a mask. Masks are most effective when used by people who are infected, but are still beneficial for others to wear. Best rule of thumb for slowing down the spread of the virus is to treat yourself and others as infected. If you can not get a surgical grade mask or better, it is recommend by the CDC that any face covering will do.
Public transport is at an all time low. In some places, the government has made these public transports free. Unfortunately, some of those places are also in lockdown.
Every airport is reacting to this pandemic differently so some of these rules may vary. It may be required for you to take off your mask at different steps in the airport. Airports are taking precautions and having staff wear masks and disinfecting more than never, so if you every do do need to take off your mask it will probably be away from others or next to someone wearing a mask.
Some airports are going as far as to be proactive and are performing mass temperature checks of passing travelers. They can pull out people with elevated temperature and check them further. This information lets the airlines and airport handle these passengers differently, such as providing them special seating or specific bathrooms to use on the plane.
Airlines are also taking their own precautions and disinfecting the planes between flights. Some are going so far as to have certain seats empty helping to separate passengers further, but I do not see this lasting.
There are a few things to consider in an inclosed recycled aircraft. The air in an airplane is heavy circulated, consisting of about %50 fresh outside air and %50 air passed through HEPA filters. HEPA filters do a great job at removing contaminants and as far as my research has enlightened me, should make traveling in an aircraft “safe”.
Besides the disinfecting, staff are taking their own precautions and are obligated to wear masks on most airlines and have updated procedures. Seems like airlines, at least the ones I have researched, are taking the necessary steps to keep people safe.
Just because the experts say it is safe, doesn’t mean you should take your own steps for keeping yourself safe. For one, you should be vigilant of people who may be sick. It may seem like a jerk move to call someone out, but notifying the staff of someone who is showing symptoms can help accommodate that person with special seating and their own bathroom on the flight.
I have also seen people bringing their own disinfectant wipes to wipe down the areas they will be touching. I have not found any information to suggest this will work, but im sure it can’t hurt either.
Most importantly you should follow the 4 guidelines listed at the top of the article; wear a mask the whole time, avoid touching your face, wash your hands or use disinfectant, and keep a large distance from people when possible.
Of course, the best way to avoid getting infected is to not travel at all. If you really dont need to travel, than don’t. Let the airports, businesses, and other establishments catch up with covid protocols. Let more masks be made. Lets stop the infection from spreading faster than it needs to by just staying home this summer. 2021 is a new year, and hopefully a less grim one.
