During the last couple of months, the world had almost come to a stop owing to the COVID-19 outbreak. We need to restart and continue with our daily business and work knowing well that this virus is out there. With offices opening up, we need to consider all safety measures while traveling. Any kind of leniency in following the precautions can make it more likely to be affected by the virus. Once the virus enters your body, it starts to multiply. It is harmful not only for the infected but for the people around the infected person as well. However, avoiding this scenario is possible if one follows all the precautions and safety measures.
Some best ways to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 while traveling or commuting to work are:
#1 Gear-up With Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Whenever you are going outdoors, ensure that you are geared up with personal protective equipment. These mainly include a face mask and a pair of gloves. Wearing these will keep the most prone parts of your body, that is, hands and mouth, safe from coming in contact with the virus. Have at least a couple of masks and a bunch of disposable gloves ready while commuting to work. Once you are home, make sure that you wash the mask properly in case it is reusable. This will make it ready and safe to wear it the next day. Urge yourself as well as others around you to wear personal protective equipment. It will ensure the safety of everyone present in that area at that time.
#2 Sanitize your hands
Once you have finished traveling and reached the office or your home, make sure that you sanitize your hands thoroughly. This way, if your hands are in contact with the virus, it will not be able to enter your body. Sanitizing will kill the virus before it starts to harm your body. Avoid touching anything when you are in a public place like doorknobs, railings, etc. Since the virus is widely spread, anything around you could be contaminated. For the precautions and peace of mind, keep applying the sanitizer to your hands periodically. Do not forget to wash your hands properly before and after a meal.
#3 Eat right and safely packed food
Avoid eating unpacked and street food while commuting to work. It is preferred to take a lunch box, a water bottle, and other required snacks right from your home. The safest and most reliable food that you can eat is one that is prepared at your home. This is essential because the people who are preparing and serving the food in the restaurants and streets are not reliable and the food isn’t safe to consume. Eating that may increase the risk of contracting the coronavirus.
On the other hand, if you are traveling, then consume only properly packed food products as far as possible. Even if you are visiting a restaurant, ensure that all the precautions are being taken. Choose places where cooks must are wearing all personal protective equipment. Do not be lenient about the same as consuming contaminated food can lead to serious health consequences.
#4 Maintain proper distance
When you are traveling or commuting to work, try to maintain a decent distance. Do not stand close to the people if you are using public transportation. Avoid taking public transportation that is too crowded. Always remember that the spread of the virus is quite rapid in a crowd. Stay away from the people who are constantly coughing or sneezing. There are high chances of getting an infection from those people.
If possible, try to avoid using public transport. It is quite safe to travel or commute to your office through your own vehicle. There is a minimal risk of getting infected when you are using your vehicle. But send your car for a wash and sanitization every week. It will ensure that your vehicle is free from the virus. Do not let an unknown person enter your car for the best precautions and safety measures.
#5 Avoid touching surfaces
Since many people are using public transport regularly, the surfaces there might be contaminated. If you touch any such contaminated surface, there are high chances of the virus entering your body. This is why it is generally suggested to avoid touching surfaces at any public place while traveling.
If your traveling takes a lot of time, you can disinfect the surface around your seat using a sanitizer. It will make your entire journey safer. Sanitizing the surface should not be done bare-handed. Try using the medium of transportation that regularly sanitizes every surface thoroughly. This will not let your hands, as well as clothes, come in contact with the virus. Therefore, touching any kind of surface while traveling must be strictly avoided to be on the safer side.
#6 Drink only filtered water
There are several cases where people got infected from coronavirus due to contaminated water. Therefore, when you leave your home for the office, make sure you carry a water bottle. Do not drink water that you feel is not purified. If you feel thirsty while traveling and do not have filtered water with you, then always drink water from a packed bottle.
You may have to spend a bit of money to follow this, but all that money will be worth spending for your better health conditions. Do not hesitate to offer the water if someone around you is thirsty. Ask them to sanitize their hands and then give your water bottle. This will be completely safe and will ensure that humanity is still alive even in such conditions.
#7 Boost you immunity
If you are frequently traveling, then make sure that you get vaccinated periodically. Although there is no vaccine to get cured or to stay safe from the coronavirus yet, you can always introduce some medications and supplements to your body that will improve your immunity. These will make your body free from any kind of infections and viruses.
#8 Spread awareness
While traveling, if you see a person sitting or moving around without wearing a mask, you must make him aware of the same. Stand at a safe distance and tell them to wear a mask to make that safe for themselves and others in the surrounding. All the people traveling with you must follow all precautions and safety measures. At present, it is a criminal offense to stay outdoors without wearing a mask.
Responsible citizens must point out such people and spread awareness. Therefore, spread awareness while traveling or commuting to work. Let the people, who are violating the rules, know the negative health consequences of doing the same.
Summary
Following the above-discussed ways to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 while traveling, may be difficult for you in the beginning but with time, you will get used to it, and soon, all these precautionary measures will become your habit. Just have faith and do your part. However, if you experience any coronavirus symptoms, then do not wait for a moment and get all the tests done.
