Checklist for road travel during the pandemic

Are you overtly eager to go on a road trip during this pandemic or did the pandemic put the brake on your planned road trip? It is possible to head for the adventurous journey during this tough time. However, ensure you get your COVID PCR test for travel with us. 

Use our tips and tricks to have a corona free journey 

Corona safety precautions before hitting the road 

1. Sanitise your car

With your gloves firmly fitted in your hands, make use of alcohol-based wipes to clean the dashboard, steering wheel cover, gear shift, seatbelt buckle, since they are the part of the car you touch the most. Clean from left to right and do not wipe back to the same surface again. Then put the belt up and clean all the surfaces, including ceilings, seats, and window panes. Also, consider servicing the car thoroughly before taking the trip.

2. Get enough essentials for sanitisation

You will need to carry enough disposable tissues, gloves, and alcohol-based sanitisers. This is because you do not know when you will need to change a flat tire in which you will suddenly need to put on your gloves, or when you will need to use disposable tissues when the breeze makes you sneeze.

Also, you need to carry enough drinking water that you will drink and refill your energy once you stopover at a clean place. Do not forget to wear your gloves. It is imperative to have your hand sanitiser handy. Cultivate a habit of using the alcohol-based sanitisers frequently. To have a better result, use them every 20 minutes.

3. Pack smartly for emergency 

As a fan of the road trip, you will understand that dust and pollution are ubiquitous. This, as you know, is not so good, especially with the virus. Ensure you carry enough clothes, scarves, and cover-ups to keep yourself protected.

Do not forget to have some sachets of detergents handy, since it is essential to maintain a high level of hygiene to prevent germs from breeding.  Always carry washable slippers and sandals anytime you can, because the coronavirus stays mostly on the surfaces and you need to clean very thoroughly if you have to prevent it. 

4. Do not leave the mask behind

Protection from coronavirus is a two-way thing, at least wear the mask to protect yourself and others. Since travelling on the road will make you come close to many travellers and locals, you need to keep up with the precautions. Carry as many masks as you can since you do not know when you will run short of masks. However, since there is an increasing demand, it is always essential to have more than one.

One mask is not enough to take you for the entire travel, especially if you will be travelling for more than 10 hours. So, to stay safe, you have to change your mask once every 10 hours during the travel. Always carry enough masks to help you and the others that are around you.

Also, before taking the travel, ensure you find out about the nearest hospitals, COVID-19 testing centres, and their emergency numbers. The Aarogya Setu app will help you know if there is an infected person around you. Follow the quarantine guidelines if you want to travel to another state.

Other travel tips to help you overcome the virus

1. Try not to touch your nose, mouth, eyes and face with your fingers. We know that it is common for your face to itch occasionally, but before scratching, ensure you use a hand sanitiser.
2. Insert a tissue into your elbow you can cough into or sneeze; it is a good thing to do to prevent the spread of the droplets. Always disinfect your clothes as soon as you can and throw away the tissues immediately after use. Have a few disposable bags with you.  This will help you discard waste and prevent the spread of pollution.
3. Try to avoid contacts while buying and selling. You can do this by using digital payment systems which do not allow you to have physical contact with the sellers. Get a few apps to help you with quick payment, and ensure they have ready keyboards and tabs so you can quickly transfer money from your account to that of the seller. With this, you can buy enough souvenirs without having much contact with the seller.
4. Do not buy or eat any food outside. Carrying enough food from home will be a good solution, as you never can tell if the roadside restaurants are keeping up with the preventive measures and hygienic conditions as much as possible. Always remember to wash your hands regularly with running water for up to 20 seconds at least before eating.
5. While eating on your way, ensure you do not share—use separate bottles and spoons for. Better still, carry your disposable dishes and containers and carefully dispose of them to prevent environmental pollution.

Safety tips when using buses and taxis 

1. Use your hand sanitiser before entering and immediately after leaving a vehicle.
2. Practice social distancing, also consider using a keychain touch tool to ensure that you do not touch the frequent touchpoints of a vehicle.
3. Prevent the spread of germs and diseases that come through exchanging currencies. That means, pay digitally for as many trips as you can. 
4. When using a bus, try to follow the seating guidelines arranged by the government.
5. If you are embarking on an overnight bus journey, ensure you carry your blanket or linen to cover up at night.
6. Avoid travelling if you do not feel so well or if it is not necessary.

We understand how difficult it is to stop travellers or lovers of travelling from going out. However, if you follow the safety precautions and guidelines and take the coronavirus test for travel, you will meet up with the demands of life, and still, live healthy despite travelling during the pandemic.