5 Hygiene Habits You Should Follow to Avoid Contacting COVID-19 Germs

Posted on: Jan 11, 2022 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

5 Hygiene Habits You Should Follow to Avoid Contacting COVID-19 Germs

We have entered 2022; however, the new year hasn’t come without COVID-19. With the emergent of omicron, a COVID-19 variant of concern, travellers now have to be extra cautious while travelling and follow certain hygiene habits. For a safe and secure trip, it is advisable to buy a travel insurance policy for your journey. HDFC ERGO offers travel insurance plans for the individual as well as family; you can opt for it to safeguard your trip from unforeseen events. Now let us take a look at hygiene habits to follow to avoid contacting COVID-19 germs.

5 Hygiene Habits to Follow While Travelling Abroad

1. Prepare a Travel Safety Kit For COVID-19

You should ensure that you carry the necessary items required to protect you from COVID-19 germs. Your travel safety kit should include a hand sanitizer (with more than 60% alcohol content), disinfectant wipes, tissues, and a face mask/face shield. These items can help you maintain a certain level of hygiene and prevent contact with disease-causing respiratory droplets.

2. Be Mindful Of What You Touch

It’s essential to be mindful when using devices or touching surfaces that others might have used, such as ATMs, check-in machines, escalators and the like. Apply a generous amount of sanitizer whenever you touch any of these surfaces, and be careful not to touch your face. Also, be mindful of your high-touch items, such as phones and wallets. Keeping them in a bag rather than being exposed in bins during security checks is wise. It is also advisable to wipe down your cellphone with disinfectant at least twice daily while travelling.

3. Minimize Human Contact

If you are travelling during COVID-19 time, it is better to rely more on technology and automation. For example, get your boarding pass from the machine and sanitize your hands afterwards. When visiting food and retail outlets within the airport, try not to touch common area surfaces, maintain the recommended six-foot distance from the staff, and pay using contactless options.

4. Wipe down Your Surroundings

While taking your seat at any commonplace, it is advisable to take a paper and quickly scrub down the hard surfaces around you with disinfectant wipes. For example, the back of the seat in front of you, the seat flap, the tray table, the armrests are all surfaces where infectious respiratory droplets can remain alive. Be sure to allow the surfaces to remain wet for the time it takes for the disinfectant to work. Also, do not wipe soft surfaces as it would leave an uncomfortable wet seat and spread the germs out further.

5. Maintain Distance with Other Passengers During Flight

Infected passengers will most likely not infect people sitting farther than two seats beside them or one or two rows in front or behind. Therefore, it is also advisable to remain seated for the course of the flight at a distance from other passengers. In addition, eliminate the risk of indirect transmission by keeping hands clean and avoiding contact with eyes, nose and mouth. Before you travel, check if COVID-19 is spreading in your local area and in any places you are going. Do not travel if you have any symptoms of COVID-19. Most countries do not allow the unvaccinated traveller to enter their country; also, it is best to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days before your travel date. It is important to remember that no vaccine provides 100 per cent protection against COVID-19, so check local guidance at your destination and the COVID-19 transmission and vaccination rates to inform the level of precautions you should take.

Conclusion

No matter where you go in the world, you’re likely to be exposed to COVID-19 risk as coronavirus pandemic is looming over us. However, taking the necessary hygiene measures while travelling and having a travel insurance policy can help ensure that you have a healthy break and return from your travels relaxed and refreshed. After returning home from a trip, it is advisable to get yourself tested for COVID-19 and also quarantine yourself for few days.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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