Are you thinking of going home for the holidays? All of us wait for holidays to travel to meet our family or for vacation.

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But with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, this most awaited part of our lives has become increasingly dangerous. Although all nonessential travels should be avoided, some of us might still be forced to travel for various reasons. Before you make travel plans, the things to consider are if COVID-19 cases are increasing at the destination, do you have any comorbidities that put you at risk for severe COVID infection, and if you live with someone who is at risk for severe illness. If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, you might want to reconsider traveling.

The following tips might help you travel safely during this COVID-19 pandemic:

Make a Travel Packing Checklist
Before you stuff your suitcase with clothes and makeup, remember to carry protective equipment, such as masks, hand sanitizer (minimum 60 % alcohol), disinfectant wipes, tissues, and a few pairs of gloves. Make a checklist of these essential items, and do not forget to pack them. These things will help you maintain hygiene and prevent contact with virus-containing respiratory droplets.

Think Before you Touch Anything
You would have read that the new Coronavirus can survive on surfaces, such as doorknobs, tabletops, suitcases, etc. This is also the reason for the accelerated spread of the novel Coronavirus, and you should be extremely careful while touching anything. Never forget to disinfect your hands before and after touching devices or surfaces that others frequently touch, such as check-in machines, ATMs, escalator handles, toilet seats, etc. Remember to use a generous amount of sanitizer and rub all the surfaces of your hands properly.

Get a Window Seat on the Plane
It might be challenging to get the seat that you want with so few fights available, but if you can, always choose a window seat. A new study found that the best way to avoid getting infected during air travel is to sit at a window seat and avoid leaving your seat for the entire course of the flight. An infected passenger is most likely to infect people seated a couple of seats in either direction. Do not touch your eyes, nose, and mouth without washing your hands first.

Disinfect Surrounding Surfaces
Before you take your seat, use disinfectant wipes, and wipe down all the hard surfaces around you, which includes the seat flap, tray table, back of the heart that is facing you, armrests, and all other possibly infected surfaces. But, do not use disinfectant on soft surfaces like your seat, as it will make them damp, making it more likely to harbor germs. Carry a disinfectant spray that you can spray on the toilet seat before using it.

Minimize Human Contact
As much as possible, rely on technology and robotics to minimize human contact. Instead of waiting in the queue to get a boarding pass, use the machine and sanitize your hands after. Maintain a six-foot distance from others while boarding or in food and retail outlets at the airport. Always have your face mask on and keep sanitizing your hands, or even better, wash them. Also, pay using contactless options.

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