Travel on your mind?
You have travel arrangements in place. But you are apprehensive about travel.
What if I get infected during travel?If thoughts such as these are keeping you in a fix, then this article is for you!
For more than a month, if it’s one common topic of discussion the world over, then it has to be Coronavirus (COVID-19). With several countries imposing travel restrictions from and to their respective geographical boundaries, there’s an uneasy calm all around. Being an avid traveller, I am deeply moved by the fact that the virus has had widespread impact and the number of fatalities are exponentially increasing each day. In India, the number of reported cases (as of this writing on March 8, 2020) has reached 40. And, this number is bound to increase significantly. So, should you be cancelling your travel plans and monitor developments around the corona scare? Or should you keep your travel spirits high and get going without being affected?
Today, I wanted to lay emphasis on the current epidemic of novel Coronavirus and its impact on travel plans. I have tried to keep words in this article as simple as possible so as to cater to any layman. The current trend of this deadly infectious disease is bound to instil fears, especially to people who are constantly on the move and for travel fanatics! Let’s try to understand what this virus is and how to stay clear off it.
What’s more deadly than Coronavirus?
It’s PANIC.
It’s a character of DUMB to react to any PANIC!
REALITY OF THE SITUATION:
Did you observe the term Novel? Novel means new. So, it’s a new type of Coronavirus the world is experiencing. In the past, there has been several such coronaviruses making its spread across oceans and, therefore, were considered an epidemic too. The most recent one, and less popularly known, was in the year 2012. It was identified as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV). The other epidemic and more severe one that took the world by storm was identified in 2002 as a result of an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The latest one to wreak havoc is similar in nature to SARS-CoV and, hence, to avoid any confusions this is termed as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
HOW DOES THE VIRUS SPREAD?
COVID-19, first reported in China’s live animal market, suggested that the virus was initially transmitted from animals to humans. Symptoms of an infected person include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. When an infected person comes in contact with another, the virus spreads to the other person too. Some of the most common ways for the virus to spread are direct contact with the infected person, contact with infected person’s respiratory secretions (such as cough and sneeze), direct contact with any surface contaminated with such secretions.
If you are experiencing the said symptoms for over 14 days, immediately get checked from your nearest Government Medical Facility.
SHOULD YOU CANCEL YOUR TRAVEL PLANS?
I understand that it would be an awkward situation for testing positive to COVID-19, getting quarantined, and missing regular life. However, I don’t see any reason for panic. People that have been infected are kept in isolation. And, many of them have been recovering with treatment. A majority of reported cases are that of people entering the country from the infected locations. Unless you are already suffering from some kind of illness, there’s absolutely nothing to worry.
PRECAUTIONS TO STAY SAFE:
Here are few safety precautions that could keep you away from any deadly infections:
- Always wash your hands with either soap/sanitizer. Not all sanitizers are effective. Use the one with alcohol content and rub your hands thoroughly.
- Avoid touching any part of your face. If there’s a need, then wash your hands and clean your face too.
- Always wear a surgical mask when you are in public places. Although, wearing mask is nothing more than a false sense of security to the wearer, it does filter out certain air-borne bacteria. N95 class masks are certified to filter out 95% of small, virus containing air-borne particles.
- Do not visit crowded places. If you are flying, then spend as little time as possible at airports.
- Always maintain safe distance from anyone coughing or sneezing. A distance of at least 1 meter is considered safe.
- Consider eating well cooked food. If on travel, be wary of the restaurant you are visiting.
- Always prune your finger nails, not just for current epidemic but for personal hygiene too.
- Stay away from mass media (such as private television NEWS and other untrusted source of information on the internet).
- Keep away from misleading social media posts and hoaxes.
WARNING: Avoid International Travel, especially to the affected countries, until the virus is contained.
STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM:
Above all, build and maintain a strong immune system! Your immune system is the best defence against any infections and diseases. This depends on your lifestyle choices and every day habits. The following are the minimal every day practice that I do:
- Include lots of fruits and vegetables.
- Make sure your meals contain garlic cloves. Garlic in any form (solid/powdered) provides a wide variety of health benefits. And, this includes an enhanced immune function.
- Exercise regularly.
- And, most important of all, get adequate sleep.
CONCLUSION:
For healthy individuals, there’s absolutely no need for panic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has observed a positive trend of mildly affected individuals recover completely. For me, it’s going to be an exciting travel season ahead! As an avid traveller, I have lots of plans lined up. In the recent past, there have been many instances where I came across people were apprehensive about their travel plans. So, I wanted to share this important and much needed piece of information about the current scenario. I hope my article helps shed your fears on the current coronavirus scare.
STAY HYGENIC! STAY SAFE!
ENJOY YOUR TRAVEL!
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