With the federal government’s directive to ease economic hardships by relaxing the lockdown brought on by the coronavirus, the excitement about travelling is rising. There are daydreams of running to a faraway place for a proper vacation after this all-day indoor, forced holiday.
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However, we wonder what travelling would be like once the lockdowns are officially over. So before you plan your next vacation or go over your postponed travel itinerary, here are some tips to consider when planning your post-COVID travel trip.
1. Pack COVID-19 Prevention Items
Now, you might have to add hand sanitisers, face masks, latex gloves, scarves and soaps to your hand luggage as they may now become mandatory travel items. Ladies, you should always include these in your handbags. Also, you might need to pack clothes that can easily be washed and dried in case you are quarantined or isolated at an entry or exit point during your travels.
2. Observe Social Distancing Rules
When standing in a queue at the bus station or airport, make sure you stand 6 feet (2 metres) from the next person. It can be hard to do this in Nigeria when there is a crowd. Just make sure the people around know where you are on the queue and escape to a less crowded area to watch your spot from there. Besides keeping your distance from people, you should wear a face mask. Face mask basically helps to reduce the chances of transmission from infected persons to non-infected persons. During any form of travelling, it will be mandatory for people to have face masks on. It doesn’t matter if the number of travellers per vehicles are reduced and social distancing is practised, you will still be asked to wear a face mask.
3. Submit To Health Checks
Prepare to meet health checks at any state or international airport, land boarder en route to neigbouring countries, and sea ports. Recently, Emirates became the first airline to add screening of passengers with rapid COVID-19 10-minute tests to their protocols at Dubai Airport (terminal 3) before boarding. This might just become the new norm at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos or Mallam Aminu Kano International Aiport, Kano. An official may take your temperature with a no-touch thermometer and ask questions about your travel and medical history. Be patient with them and answer every question honestly. If you are asked to screen before boarding your flight or obligated to be isolated based on your response to some questions, be cooperative.
4. Expect Stricter Travel Regulations
While choosing destinations with good medical facilities in case of a second wave COVID-19 outbreak will become a priority for travellers, there will be stricter travel restrictions. Such restrictions might include compulsory screening to obtain a COVID-19 test certificate as part of your travel documents. This document might become as important as the yellow card that determines if you get to enter a country despite having a visa.
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Furthermore, some countries might use active cases or total cases of COVID-19 infection as a measure for who they grant visas/entry into their country. This we can already see happening within the EU nations. As a result, it might be a long time before Nigerians might be allowed to travel overseas for tourism, if the number of cases continue rising. Just ensure you look out for travel regulations when choosing a post-COVID travel destination.
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