Tips and advice for protecting your family away from home.
For families around the world, travel is part of everyday life, whether out of necessity or pleasure. However, the coronavirus pandemic has made this aspect of their lives increasingly risky. If you and your loved ones need to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, here are some tips to help you get around more safely.
Can we travel during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Any journey carries a risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19. Before you travel, learn about the COVID-19 circulation in your area and the places you plan to visit. Do not travel if you or yourself are sick, have any symptoms of COVID-19, or have been in contact with someone who has been infected with COVID-19 in the past 14 days. Family members (elderly, members with underlying medical conditions) who are at higher risk of developing a severe form of the disease should consider postponing all travel, including essential trips to high-risk destinations.
Is it safe to travel after getting the COVID-19 vaccine?
Like any other activity that involves contact with different people, travel is not without risk, even with a full vaccination. The good news is that taking the right number of doses and allowing the vaccine to work significantly reduces the risk of developing a severe form of the disease and infecting others.
In the case of two-dose vaccines, the protection provided by the first injection is only partial, and it usually takes another two weeks for the second dose to be considered fully protected. For single-dose vaccines, the maximum protection against COVID-19 is effective several weeks after injection.
It is important to keep in mind that no vaccine provides complete protection. It is therefore recommended that you familiarize yourself with the incidence and vaccination rates as well as the local instructions of your destination to know what precautions to take.
> What precautions should we take during our trip?
> Vaccination against COVID-19: what you need to know before, during and after
I had COVID-19 and recovered. Do I still need to be vaccinated before I travel?
It is recommended that people infected with COVID-19 also get vaccinated whether they want to travel or not. While most infected people produce antibodies and immune cells to fight the disease, the immune response is very variable and it is not known exactly how long this protection lasts. For people with moderate symptoms, the protection to prevent a second infection may decrease within a few months.
Remember that vaccination doesn't just protect yourself, it helps you protect others as well.
How to prepare for a family trip?
If you choose to travel, check to see if there are any travel restrictions, containment measures, quarantines, or testing requirements in your area and where you plan to go. visit (see the websites of health ministries, foreign ministries and local health authorities). Keep in mind that these policies are subject to change at any time and your travel plans are likely to be interrupted. If any of your family members become ill or have been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19 during your trip, you may be isolated or quarantined and need to delay your return. Also, if one of your family members gets sick or injured during the trip,
Before you leave, find out about transportation, dining and accommodation options at your destination. Note that the operation of businesses and services may be interrupted, in whole or in part, in the affected areas, including public transport, shops and restaurants, and popular tourist destinations. Remember to consult the latest available information to be aware of any changes in services and procedures.
Additional things to consider:
Before traveling, check that routine vaccinations are up to date for all family members, including the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and seasonal flu vaccine.
If you have family members who receive special treatment, be sure to plan adequate treatment for the duration of your trip.
Try to avoid transportation when physical distancing may be difficult for extended periods of time. Avoid rush hour travel and choose less traveled routes whenever possible.
If you're using public transport, follow local authorities' recommended precautions (here are just a few), avoid touching frequently touched surfaces, and wash or disinfect your hands regularly. If possible, have a row of seats between you and the other passengers.
If you are traveling in a private vehicle, try to keep the stops as low as possible by bringing enough food and drink and refueling the vehicle in advance.
Avoid visiting crowded places or poorly ventilated indoor areas and attending social gatherings or gatherings such as concerts, events or parties during your trip.
Bring your own food and drink if possible.
What if we plan to spend it away from home?
If you plan to spend the night in a hotel or any other type of accommodation, find out the precautions before you go there:
Do staff wear face masks at work, follow physical distancing, and wash their hands frequently?
Have extra precautions been taken - are plexiglass barriers installed at the reception? Is the venue designed differently to allow staff, guests and visitors to observe physical distancing rules in the lobby, elevators and public areas?
Is a suitable ventilation system installed?
Has the hotel adopted any new cleaning and disinfection policy?
Upon arrival, your room keys, doorknobs, remote controls etc. Disinfect all frequently touched surfaces, such as If possible, open windows to ventilate the room. In addition, you cannot have your room cleaned and use room services to limit the number of people outside your family who stay in your room during your stay.
> Read: Cleaning tips to fight COVID-19
What precautions should we take during our trip?
Parents and caregivers should take standard precautions for themselves and their children when traveling:
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
> Learn more about hand washing
Avoid touching your face (eyes, nose, mouth).
Avoid overcrowded, confined spaces and confined and poorly ventilated areas.
Try to keep a distance of at least one meter between you and other people in common areas.
Wear a paper mask in public places where COVID-19 is actively circulating and physical distancing is impractical.
> Consult our recommendations for masks for families
Phones, keys, doorknobs, keys, etc. Regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as
> Learn more about cleaning tips to fight COVID-19
Bring your own food and cutlery for dining out. If this is not possible, choose the safest nutritional solution: for example, choose to eat rather than go inside. Remember to wash or disinfect your hands before eating.
> Learn more about how to spend time outdoors safely
If they or their child has a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or other symptoms of COVID-19, seek medical attention immediately.
What should we do when we return?
When you return home, follow the advice or requirements of national or local authorities and continue to take basic precautions, including looking out for the onset of COVID-19 symptoms and optionally seeing a doctor immediately.
Source: https://www.unicef.org/fr/coronavirus/voyager-en-famille-durant-la-covid-19
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