Coronavirus Travel Tips For Your 2020 Vacation

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We’ve all been watching the news. The coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing worldwide panic. With so many people testing positive for the virus, and even a number of deaths, it’s forefront on every media outlet. Conferences and events are being cancelled, some flights are seen almost empty and people are canceling trips all over the place. So should you stay at home? Or are there still Coronavirus travel options out there?

There are differing opinions. I am in no way here to give medical advice or even say whether you should travel or not. That’s not up to me, only you can decide that, or your government. And I am also not going to make light of what is clearly a serious situation, as this is obviously a terrible thing for our most vulnerable community members to get. But for those who are getting more than a little antsy thinking they might not get a vacation this year, I’m here with some ideas on how you can still keep that wanderlust alive during the Coronavirus outbreak.

Is it safe to travel?

For most people outside of the major affected areas (China, Iran, South Korea and now Italy) you might not think there is much cause for concern, but there are new travel restrictions being put in place each day. People are being more cautious, especially around more crowded places. But the currently (despite what the panic buying of toilet paper and Lysol wipes indicates), most places remain relatively low on the danger list. I live in Canada and while we are seeing more cases pop up in the last week, the Public Health Agency of Canada still classes public health risk as LOW. Check out the latest info for Canada here. For more information from the CDC click here. That said, to contain the spread most countries are recommending not to cross borders unless you need to.

Should I avoid planes?

The biggest question here should be around where the plane is coming from and going to. If it’s somewhere that has a lot of cases of Coronavirus, then yes that might be best to avoid travel there unless necessary. Domestic flights are still operating (albeit with less people) in most places with lower numbers of cases. Remember to check with airlines around cancellations of services and routes.

But the CDC themselves have reassured that being on a plane doesn’t mean you’re at a higher risk because of the air quality. The air is filtered and circulates in a way that does not easily cause germs to spread. Airline staff are on the lookout for people who are visibly sick, and are taking extra steps towards cleaning the aircraft during and after flights.

Should I get travel insurance?

First of all, you should always get travel insurance. It makes sense to protect your trip, and your health. You or a family member may get sick and you need to cancel. Or you may become sick in travel and need healthcare in a foreign country. That’s not the kind of thing you want to mess around with. That said, in most cases travel insurance won’t cover you canceling your trip due to Coronavirus unless you yourself have it and cannot travel due to sickness. What you can do though, is look up Cancel For Any Reason insurance policies which in most cases give you up to about 75% back on your travel costs. They are more expensive plans, but can help in a lot of situations. Read more about travel insurance through RoamRight here.

Where can I not travel to?

Right now I would probably take China, South Korea, Iran and Italy off your list at least. And that goes for any flights that might usually connect in those countries. A lot of people who had trips planned to other places, but their plane was due to connect in one of those countries, have had their flights cancelled or rerouted.

That’s been one of the biggest Coronavirus travel restrictions. With so much changing on a day to day basis, your best bet is to keep up to date with your local government site (like the Government of Canada site here). Another option is the CDC site here which has a map showing affected areas. But staying local and within your country is the safest bet by far. For example anyone returning to Canada is urged to self quarantine for 14 days no matter which country you are coming from.

What can I do to help the Coronavirus travel situation?

There are things you can do to help limit the spread of the virus, especially since the symptoms are not always apparent in everyone. The best things you can do are:

• Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds and especially after coughing or sneezing
• Cover your mouth with your elbow when you cough or sneeze. The virus is spread by respiratory droplets we give off being inhaled by others
• Wear a mask if you show symptoms to prevent the spread more
• Clean well around frequently touched surfaces (door handles, tables, taps and light switches)
• Wipe down surfaces in the home and office with antibacterial wipes after cleaning
• Stay home from work or school if you are not well. Ask your work about remote capabilities if you are able to
• Do not share food and drinks and avoid re-using glasses or cups unless they are thoroughly cleaned

I mean it shouldn’t take a virus outbreak for people to realize washing their hands is a good thing, but there you are. Carry hand sanitizer or wipes with you in case you aren’t anywhere you can wash your hands easily. I can’t believe how many people don’t wash their hands that often. Or don’t cover their mouth when they sneeze. It’s common sense but unfortunately it seems to have taken a global incident to make everyone aware of it again.

Should I pack anything extra for my travels?

Not even just for travels, but on a daily basis there are a few things you should think about carrying with you for your own Coronavirus travel pack:

• A pocket sized bottle of hand sanitizer – have one in your purse and your car
• Plenty of tissues – don’t be caught short if you need to sneeze and remember to throw your tissues away in a lined bin
• Anti-bacterial wipes – wipe down surfaces before you use them (i.e. tray tables on a plane or door handles)
• Cold meds – perception is everything. Just have a cold? Dose yourself up and fight that cold quicker. Everyone’s on edge whenever someone sneezes right now so take care of yourself
• A water bottle – always carry plenty of fluids and stay hydrated from your own personal water bottle

Remember to take a reusable water bottle with you on your travels, like this one from FastTech

Some Coronavirus travel options for you (they’re not as far as you think)

So with all these potential restrictions and so many warnings through the media you might wonder how you’re going to get a vacation this year right? How are you going to scratch that travel itch without worrying about getting sick or getting other people sick? Here are a few ideas that might help you out, and make sure you don’t go stir crazy.

Stay local

How much do you actually know your own town/city or even region? I live in Vancouver, BC and since I moved here I do often go out and explore. But I’m not from here originally, so for me it might be a little different. I have friends who were born and raised here and haven’t done a lot of the exploring that I have. So book a local hotel stay, or take a tour of your own city. Have that staycation that you always wanted but somewhere else always won out. It’s also a great way to support local businesses who are hurting for customers during all of this. Better yet, have a little staycation in your own home. Catch up on your reading, watch a movie or 7 and order takeout from your local restaurants.

Explore your own country

Just like seeing your own city, this might be a great opportunity to see some more of your own country. I am originally from the UK and was always so interested in going somewhere different I never really explored my own country. There are so many places I still have yet to see. Now when I visit I make a point of seeing somewhere new each time. I’m sure you don’t travel your own country as much as you’re tempted to book a cheap flight somewhere else. So this is the time. Remember you don’t have to go far to travel.

Road trip it up

Don’t want to get on a plane? How about getting in your car instead? While, as I mentioned above, there is no greater risk to contracting the Coronavirus on a plane, you might still be cautious about other travelers or potentially passing something on. Then maybe the road trip is perfect for you. Get in your own car, book a couple of hotel nights along the way, and drive as far as you want.

For those in Canada or the US there are almost limitless journeys you could take around North America given a car and 2 weeks vacation. Find somewhere you haven’t been before and drive there. Slow travel is better for the environment also, so grab some road snacks and your family or best friends and head out on the open road.

Get out of the city

Worried about the spread of a virus? Then head somewhere where you won’t find as many people. Get out of your city for a bit. Or if you usually travel to cities for your vacations, think about something different this time. I live in Vancouver so the West Coast has really good access to a lot of cool islands. So for me, getting away from it all means visiting one of these amazing coastal regions. Last year I had a lovely quiet cabin getaway on the Sunshine Coast of BC. Read more about my trip here.

Not a fan of boats or want to avoid them if you can? How about visiting a National Park or two? For me this is a great reason to explore more of the Canadian Rockies or British Columbia. Still not convinced? What about a cottage retreat by a serene lake in the middle of nowhere? Take some games and a book, take a boat out on a lake, sit on your deck and enjoy a nice glass of wine. Getting out of the city can be so relaxing. Say goodbye to all the craziness and crowded areas and have somewhere just to yourself.

Go camping (or glamping)

Not my go to, I’m not a big camping fan. Mostly because I don’t think I’ve ever had a good night sleep on the ground in a tent. But you don’t have to be a camping fan to go glamping. Camping isn’t all about tents anymore. Rent an RV and park up in a campsite in the middle of nowhere. Book a yurt and just enjoy the great outdoors while watching the stars. We’ve been looking into this option in Oregon as our friends did it last year and absolutely loved it. However you camp that’s OK. There’s nothing to say you have to be in a tent, or an RV. Just take advantage of the quietness of being outside of the city.

Things to do so you don’t get sick

While unfortunately it is not all under your control, there are steps you can take to ensure you give yourself the best chance of not getting sick. Avoid highly populated areas if possible. A lot of people are cancelling sports events and concerts for fear of getting sick. But also being in densely populated cities the whole time might increase your chances of running into someone who is sick. Which is why you might see Coronavirus travel restrictions in place. So take advantage of those nearby parks, hidden cabins and isolated places that you can truly get away from it all. Note a lot of countries are suggesting self-isolation for up to 14 days if you are returning from another country.

If you do start to feel unwell then make sure you see a doctor. If you don’t have to be at work and can work from home, that might be best for now. Always remember to wash your hands and if you do cough or sneeze make sure to cover your mouth. Remember to clean surfaces that touched quite often, and carry some anti-bacterial wipes or hand sanitizer with you. While not originally targeted at Coronavirus travel I recently wrote a post you can read here with some useful tips on how to avoid getting sick while traveling.

To travel or not to travel?

If you were planning on visiting one of the areas that is now high on the list of places affected by the virus then I would recommend you do not travel there. Same goes for leaving the country at this point. In most cases either your government or theirs may have already made this decision for you. I’m not here to tell you travel, or to tell you not to travel. But hopefully this post has given you some insights into the virus, things you can do to stop the spread and ideas of things you can do if your vacation plans have been derailed.

I still have a trip booked for this summer and at this time I am just constantly monitoring the situation to see how it progresses before then. That’s all we can do right now. I don’t want to risk passing anything on to other people. And if you have trips planned it might be best to do research into who you booked with and check out their cancellation terms in case you do need to cancel. If you are planning a trip, you will definitely want to look into travel insurance to protect your trip, and yourself while traveling. Still unsure about whether you should travel? Check out these FAQs on the CDC website that might help you more.

If you’ve found this post helpful please share using the social media buttons below, or leave a comment to tell me how you are dealing with the Coronavirus travel restrictions.