(English) Coronavirus: Tips for Safe Travel In 2020

(English) Are you planning to travel during the summer this year? We decided to gather a set of explanations and safety tips about the Corona virus so that you can enjoy the holidays while keeping yourself (and everyone else) healthy.

Désolé, cet article est seulement disponible en Anglais Américain et Portugais Européen. Pour le confort de l’utilisateur, le contenu est affiché ci-dessous dans la langue par défaut du site. Vous pouvez cliquer l’un des liens pour changer la langue du site en une autre langue disponible.

If you have plans to travel and is seeing the news lately you may have had second thoughts. How can you know it is safe to travel while Coronavirus is out there? We decided to gather a set of explanations and safety tips about the Corona virus so that you can enjoy the holidays while keeping yourself (and everyone else) healthy.

Take advantage of quarantine at home and research and plan your trip carefully.

Coronavirus. What is it?

A new type of virus that infects humans causing respiratory diseases ranging from common colds to more serious problems. Symptom of Covid-19 in most cases include dry cough, fever, fatigue, and in some cases pain in the body, headache and in the worst cases, difficulty breathing.

It is important to emphasize that there is no need to panic, because according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 80% of those infected will have recovered without the need for special treatment.

However, it is important to be cautious, because even though it is not a great threat to the majority of the population, it is a great threat to the elderly and people with fragile immune systems. People with heart disease, cancer, asthma and diabetes are also at risk of having more severe cases of Covid-19.

How is it transmitted and how to prevent it?

The virus is transmitted by air or by contact with contaminated secretions, such as:
– Saliva
– Cough
– Sneeze
– Personal contact with infected people
– Contact with contaminated surfaces, followed by contact with the mouth, nose or eyes

Wash your damn hands — It is also important to take care with smartphones and other items of personal use that we use on a daily basis, whenever we return home we should seek to sanitize them properly.

The best way to prevent this is to wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, keep your distance from people coughing and sneezing, avoid closed places and crowds, avoid as much as possible touching parts of your face.

Masks should be avoided, the WHO recommends that only people with symptoms should wear them. Leave them for the health professionals working on taking care of the sick!

Should I cancel my trip because of the virus?

It depends on many factors. First of all, you and your travel companions must all be healthy! You wouldn’t want to spread the virus, right?! Only travel if you are sure no one is infected.

Then, if you are not in risk groups and as long as you follow the hygiene and precaution recommendations, it is not necessary to cancel your vacation. But you must plan it very carefully ahead!

What to think before traveling in corona crisis — You should consider many things carefully when planning to travel in 2020. Take your time at home for quarantine and plan well your trips for when things are calmer!

Where are you going? You should make sure you are traveling to a risk-free zone. Avoid traveling to places with high concentration of infected people, such as China in January 2020 or Italy in March 2020.

Check the latest news and keep posted about your chosen destination! Always check the news on well-known newspapers and official websites and verify facts. Take advantage of quarantine at home and research and plan your trip carefully.

Take all the hygiene measures suggested by the WHO, such as washing your hands frequently (alcohol gel is very efficient).

Traveling in the corona year — Consider natural destinations and private experiences, enjoy the outdoors and always respect the local authorities’ safety measures. Like this trip to the Peneda Gerês National Park, northern Portugal.

You can also choose destinations with lower population density: outdoor destinations near the sea where the air has 100 times less germs than in large urban centers.

Besides the fact that all planes flying in Europe are equipped with an air filtering system, all you need to do is bring a homemade snack and avoid touching anything that is not really necessary.

You should consider avoiding group tours and crowded visits, and think about a private excursion with your healthy travel companions. And of course, always take your alcohol gel with you!

Prepare your trip ahead, follow the hygiene precautions and travel with peace of mind!

Post written by Gustavo Costa.

Hello, I'm Gustavo Costa. I'm from Rio de Janeiro and I've been living in the Algarve for 2 years, where I study communication. Passionate about music, traveling and going out with my friends. Always willing to go through new experiences!