Expat & Co’s Corona Travel Tips

While countries are slowly softening anti-coronavirus measures, travelling abroad will be allowed again shortly in many places. Whether you’re travelling for business, study or recreational purposes: Expat & Co has got you covered. With these 10 travel tips, you can go a long way and stay safe during your trip.

• With many people posing as ‘health experts’ and the internet not always providing correct information, we strongly suggest to go see a doctor before you leave for your trip. Your health professional will tell you what to look out for and give you sound advice on how to stay healthy abroad.
• Read the travel tips of your Ministry of Foreign Affairs carefully.
• Research the healthcare system in the country you are visiting, and if your health insurance needs an update, act accordingly. With a deadly virus like corona, it’s important not to take any risks going into a foreign country.
• Keep washing your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds with water and soap, especially when you cough or sneeze, or when you consume food or visit public places. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Minimize human contact and respect the social distance of 1,5m (5 feet).
• Make sure to take enough facemasks with you. They might not be required in your country of departure, but the rules might be different abroad, where facemasks can be needed on the street, in shops, on public transport, etc.
• Pack the necessary hygienic items, such as hand sanitiser (with more than 60% alcohol content), disinfectant wipes, tissues, etc. Also: plan ahead, medication-wise.
• Think about transportation on your trip: travelling by plane, train, bus or car each involves different risks of possible contamination. Figure out how to safely get from point A to B in different ways.
• Be careful with the things you touch, like ATM-machines, escalators, boarding passes, and so on. Also, wipe down your own surroundings and personal items like a smartphone, which is regularly handled by others (like airport security). The coronavirus cannot directly infect you from such surfaces, except when you then touch your mouth, nose or eyes.
• Drink bottled water, because you can’t be sure of the quality of the tap water in the country you travel to. And make sure the food you eat is always thoroughly cooked and has gone through enough quality checks.

Have a safe trip! And if you have any questions about your travel insurance, make sure to contact the Expat & Co experts here. We’re always ready to help.