Life has taken a turn for each one of us like we had never thought it would. Amid everything else, even moving out of the house is something you have to do with utmost care and precaution. In such a scenario, traveling is probably the last thing we have on our itineraries.
While some of us have the leverage to stay back home and work. There are many, who like it or not, will have to travel for work as the international borders begin to open and businesses limp toward economic efficiency. Travel will change and we will have to be extra cautious of what we pack in our bags to adapt to this change.
We have previously done a roundup on everyday carry essentials for life in the coronavirus era; now we have compiled a few suggestions for must-have essentials you should travel with in the ongoing pandemic.
Face mask, hand sanitizer, and wipes
Wearing face mask has become a necessity we all cannot deny. There is a section that advocates wearing a face mask doesn’t help but researches have suggested this could be one of our best defenses against the droplets expelled from the nose and mouth while sneezing or talking, which appear to be primary source of spreading COVID-19. Masks can help filter out the viral particles in the air that you cannot see or be aware of.
Alongside face masks, alcohol-based sanitizers have been medically recommended in the fight against COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. Sanitizers with over 60-percent isopropyl alcohol have been found effective in killing the virus. It is therefore important to have a face mask, hand sanitizer, and sanitizing wipes (essential since they can be used to wipe the seat, table, door handles, and other commonly touched surfaces).
Travel health kit
When you are traveling – domestically or internationally – you should have a kit bag that contains your first-aid. When traveling, in the pandemic of otherwise, you can feel sick, have headaches or bowel irritation because of altered climate, food, or just because of the jet lag. Since you cannot land at a new place and begin hunting for a pharmacy it is advisable to have your bag stocked with some medication plus immunity boosting supplements. Consult your travel agency/airport staff about the medications you can bring on the plane (if you are flying).
E-book reader to stay occupied
If you’re a bookworm, you know, there is nothing like holding a hard copy and reading through that fragrance of paper while traveling. But a very common problem with us readers is that we tend to lick our finger while turning pages. One of the main ways by which the virus spreads is when we touch our mouth, nose, or eyes. If somehow the surface of the book has accumulated the virus you are likely to transfer it to the mouth. This is where the e-book reader comes in. It provides the second-best reading experience after a hard copy. It can store hundreds of books, is slim, lightweight, tailored to make the book reading experience wonderful, and it can be sanitized before using.
Travel pillow and blanket
Most of us have been traveling with a comfortable travel pillow to get a sound sleep in transit. It may sound silly but in the ongoing pandemic, when sharing articles may just be inadvisable, it is a good idea to pack your own pillow and blanket that can be used in the flight, train or at the hotel room. In doing so you would be ensuring that you are not cuddling up in someone else’s germs and exposing yourself to the contagious virus. Though flights, trains, other transport model and even lodging facilities will be taking extra care in providing hygienic bedding it is still logical to travel with your own travel pillow and portable blanket that you can wash.
Portable charger and gadget sanitizer
Touching common surfaces is not a good idea these days. If you happen to somehow, sanitizing or washing hands with soap is advisable. Therefore using common charging points to juice up your phone while traveling should be kept out of the picture. Carry your own portable charger, which can be used to juice up your handset or other electronics when required. Keeping your phone, power bank, and other electronics sanitized is as important as washing the hands. You can use disinfectant wipes to clean but chances are you can get too lazy to do so. Thankfully there are gadget sanitizers that you can pop your device into and they will clean it using UV rays.
