As the coronavirus pandemic started spreading from China to Europe and then to the USA. Thousands of new Covid-19 infected cases and deaths continue to be reported from all over the world. Due to the pandemic spreading worldwide and creating havoc, different nations started closing their borders. They also introduced new travel restrictions to put a barrier to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The UK government has advised everyone to avoid all non-essential international travel. The advisory has been issued by the government for an indefinite period of time. They have also banned domestic travel for the foreseeable future.
Health-Related Precautions For Travelling In The Covid-19 Pandemic
The fast pace and widely spread process of vaccination seem to hold the promise for the vaccination. But this cannot happen overnight nor in a fortnight. International travel can increase the risk of getting infected by the covid-19 variants. So, if it’s extremely necessary to travel in this tough time, certain precautions should be taken to keep yourself safe and healthy.
Before Travelling
While planning for traveling, it’s necessary for considering certain things. Those are as follows:
- It’s necessary to get vaccinated when you get a chance for it. If the vaccine requires two doses, it’s advisable to wait for the period until both the doses are over. Also, waiting for two weeks before travelling after taking the second dose is the best thing that can be done, as it takes a certain amount of time for the body to get protected after taking both doses of vaccine.
- It’s also necessary to see if you are at an increased risk of illness. People of any age can get infected by Covid-19. But the people of older age are seen to be more vulnerable to the covid-19 disease. Also, people with certain medical conditions can get severely infected by the Covid-19 disease. So these people are generally recommended to avoid travelling if it’s not urgent.
- It’s also required to find out if there are any restrictions for the home location and the destination for travellers. It will help you to plan accordingly and avoid any inconvenience.
- Staying Safe While Travelling- In the USA, everyone must wear a face mask while travelling through planes, buses, trains etc. Even if you are fully vaccinated, it’s a mandatory rule for everyone to follow. If you are not yet fully vaccinated, it’s essential to follow some basic rules as given below:
- It’s necessary to maintain a distance of 6 feet/2 metres between you and others as much as possible.
- It’s essential to avoid contact with anyone who is sick.
- It’s also important to wash hands frequently and avoid touching the nose or mouth repeatedly without washing hands.
- It is advisable to refrain from eating or drinking anything while travelling on public transport.
What To Do IF Your Flight Gets Cancelled?
If your flight gets canceled at the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, the airline will get in touch with you. And if it’s not the case, and you are already abroad, it’s necessary to check the airline first. The customer care number might get flooded with calls from various travelers to enquire what has happened.
Suppose the airlines had canceled due to Coronavirus. In that case, the airline must have posted a statement before cancellation as to what’s In the European country a flight gets canceled irrespective of whatever the reason may be for the cancellation, the European air passenger rights rule says that the carrier that has got canceled is required to find out an alternative way of travel for the passenger. In some substance also they are required to offer food and accommodation to the passengers.
But due to an excessive number of flights getting canceled, it is more likely that the traveler would get a refund from the airport carrier company for their ticket, but they have to arrange their ways to get back home.
What If You Are Planning To Travel to Eurostar, Eurotunnel, or Ferry?
It is mandatory to note that France has closed all its international borders for the UK. The FCO has issued an advisory for not traveling to France. There are different rules in place in case you are not a British citizen or an EU national.
For the time being, Eurostar and also the Eurotunnel services are still running, but it should be kept in mind that these may change without prior notice. Eurostar is seen to have been operating on a revised schedule and also with lower than its actual capacity as of now. It would continue doing so for some time as per the update.
