Due to COVID-19 restrictions you may not be able to travel overseas unless you get vaccinated. But that doesn’t mean you can’t travel at all. Grab this chance now to try to travel in your own country – provided your regulations allow you to do that.
There are plenty of places to see and I bet your home country is culture-rich and filled with interesting stories in history. But before you set out on a trip, you may want to read this article. I’ll be giving you my top 8 tips on how to travel with your family safely. Let’s dive in.
Get Routine Vaccinations
Before you travel in your own country make sure you and your family are up-to-date with routine vaccinations. This is especially true if you’re traveling with children. I traveled frequently with my fiancée and my baby girl. We made sure that our baby had all her vaccinations before going on our family trips which includes the following:
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- Rotavirus
- Hepatitis B
- Measles Mumps Rubella
- Influenza
- Varicella
Make sure your baby has all his or her vaccinations before you go on your trip. COVID-19 has taught us that you can contract harmful viruses in many different ways. So don’t put your baby at risk by not getting them their routine vaccinations.
Tips When Traveling with Children
COVID-19 doesn’t affect children as severely as it would with adults or seniors. So it will be safe to travel in your own country along with your children. However, there are a few aspects to consider to ensure your children are taken care of during your travels.
Make sure each of your children have a bottle of hand sanitizer with them and they all have at least 3 to 4 clean, washable masks or a box of disposable ones. If you’re traveling with infants, make sure you know how many swaddles you need to keep your baby warm and comfortable. For us this was critical since our daughter loved spitting out her water when going to bed so we need to frequently change those swaddles.
You may want to avoid restaurants and places with high foot traffic so make sure you pack your children enough food and beverages to keep them happy. Make sure you teach them to sanitize their hands before and after eating.
And lastly, make sure you bring essentials with you for your children such as bottles, sippy cups, diapers and bibs.
Research Travel Restrictions in Your Country
Depending on which country you stay in, you may have to adhere to certain restrictions during your travels. Some countries have strict curfews so you may not be able to travel at certain times of the day or night. Other areas may restrict gatherings on beaches or by rivers.
Visit your government’s website to see what your travel restrictions are in your country. If you have a strict curfew and you’re traveling by car, make sure you arrive at your destination before curfew starts. Avoid going to any places that are restricted in your country.
Additionally, make sure you’re allowed to travel in your own country during the pandemic. If your country is experiencing a high volume of COVID-19 cases, it would be wise not to travel until it’s safe to do so again.
Have a COVID-19 Travel Kit
You should always have an emergency kit with you. But since you’re traveling during a pandemic there are certain medications that you should include in your kit. Pack medication specifically for the following:
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- Fevers
- Diarrhea
- Allergies
- Headaches
- Nausea
You also want to make sure you stock up on vitamin C and give each member of your family a dose every day. There are chewable vitamin C’s and gummies that you can give to toddlers.
How to Travel With Seniors or Grandparents
If you’re traveling with seniors or your grandparents make sure they have the right kit. Seniors are more susceptible at contracting the Coronavirus and getting extremely ill. That’s because most seniors have underlying health conditions that make them vulnerable to the virus.
Before you decide to travel with seniors consult a healthcare professional to see if it’s safe for them to travel with you. Make sure they have all their medication with them and enough of the medicine to last the entire trip.
Furthermore, have a list of medical facilities nearby and contact numbers for local hospitals in case of an emergency.
Avoid COVID-19 Hotspots
You should have all the information you need on the COVID-19 hotspots in your country. If you’re not aware of any COVID-19 hotspots in your country, try looking it up on the internet. You may get the information you need on your government website.
If you go to a COVID-19 hotspot you’ll put your family at risk especially if you’re traveling with seniors. So before planning your trip and booking accommodation make sure the place you’re going to doesn’t have high COVID-19 cases.
Go to Uncrowded Places
The best places to travel are to places where there aren’t plenty of people. Beaches and resorts may be packed with holiday goers. So consider going to places that are quiet such as the mountains. Ideally you want to be in an open space with lots of fresh air where you can practice social distancing.
My family and I love camping in the mountains because we can go for hikes with our toddler without coming into contact with other people. It’s a safer way for us to travel. By letting them immerse themselves into nature, your kids can even get to enhance their focusing skills by not having distractions.
Plan Your Outdoor Activities
When you go on holiday, always have an itinerary of what everyone would like to do every day. Your grandparents may want to see a monument or your children may want to go for boat rides on the river. Planning your outdoor activities beforehand will make everyone happy because everyone will have a chance to do what they love.
Final Thoughts
Are you planning to travel in your own country with your family? Make sure you follow the tips provided in this article so you can keep your family safe during your travels. As long as you abide by your country’s regulations during the pandemic you and your family will be safe.
Always have hand sanitizer with you and wear your mask in public during your travels. And lastly, make sure you are near hospitals and you have emergency contact numbers at all times.
Author Bio
Balint Horvath is the founder of Projectfather. He’s a first-time father and when his daughter doesn’t occupy him, he is a productivity coach. He started the site to share his lessons learned, research he has made along his journey. His Mission Is to help Dads in A-Z of Fatherhood.
