We know now that COVID is here for the long haul. Moving toward our “new normal” is a gradual process that we need to do carefully. Normal life includes vacations and many of us crave travel, but how can we do this safely? Just like at home, we can stay safer if we know what to do and stick to pandemic safety rules.
My hubby and I (both retired) love to spend winter in Spain and, after much consideration, we decided to go this winter. We made it here safely … even did a rapid test 3 days after arrival just to be sure we didn’t catch the virus during the trip (probably the riskiest part of travelling). So, what’s it like to travel during a pandemic that’s winding down? What are we doing differently to stay safe?
I think the most important factor is to remember that there are still lots of opportunities to catch the virus, especially with the newest variation, Omicron, being so contagious. We do things differently at home to prevent infection, and it’s no different when travelling. We still need to do everything we can to reduce our risk. And our vacation expectations need to be a little different…
Be vaccinated (it’s required!)
First, I wouldn’t consider travelling if I wasn’t fully vaccinated, with a booster. The last thing you’d want is to end up in hospital, especially in a foreign country. But being fully vaccinated drastically reduces the chance you’ll need medical services and, knowing this, many countries (including Spain) require proof of vaccination before you come. I think the most complicated part of getting here was filling out the online form to get the required “QR” code for entry into Spain. We printed ours and loaded them onto our phones, as they can be requested at any time, and there are fines for not being able to produce your QR code!
We also checked into hospitalization insurance, just in case. It turns out we’re triple protected: Spain (and many European countries) have automatic insurance coverage for tourists, we have our private insurance, and our provincial Medicare also reimburses medical services at their usual rate.
Know the conditions at your destination
As well as checking international COVID maps and information, we also monitored a local Facebook group for expats living in the area we are staying in. It was great to be able to ask questions about conditions and rules and see photos of the streets and venues. As well, we communicated with people from Canada who had visited Costa del Sol recently to get their impression of daily life here during the pandemic. From this we could see that it was not much different than at home. In fact, the rules are stricter, and compliance appears to be higher here.
Case levels are similar to those in Canada and hospital bed availability is better than the situation at home when we left, where lockdowns were being introduced because of the high demands on hospitals due to COVID infections. Still, we knew it would not be like our usual stays here. We need to behave differently, just like we do at home, to protect ourselves.
Wear a mask that fits properly
Masking is an important part of safe travel, but they’re like condoms… they only work if you put them on and ensure they don’t leak! 😊 Buy the best quality mask you can—we have N95s for higher risk situations, like planes and shopping—and medical masks for strolls on the Paseo Maritimo and walks in the neighbourhood. I tie the ear loops of my medical masks close to the mask and tuck in the sides to improve the fit, as suggested by the CDC, as they’re too loose to seal properly on my smaller face. I also staple the sides to keep them tucked in and brought a small stapler with me for this purpose.
Masks really do make a difference in the transmission of infection (as medical personnel have known for generations!) and both the quality and the fit of the mask are important. The mask isn’t working as a filter if you’re breathing through gaps in the sides.
To improve fit and comfort with ear loop masks, consider using a device to pull the loops toward the back of your head. This does 2 things: it pulls the mask more snugly to the face (reducing leaks), and it relieves pressure on your ears (which, as any nurse will tell you, can get sore after a few hours). This device can be a commercially made strip of plastic with hooks, or a headband or strip of fabric with buttons sewed on. I’ve even seen some cute, crocheted ones made by creative people. My hubby just took a loop from a used mask, tied the ends to the ear loops of the mask he was wearing, and pulled it behind his head (note photo above). Worked great!
Plan your food and drinks
But, of course, you can’t eat with a mask on, so planning for safer eating is a helpful strategy when travelling. We packed a lunch to eat in an isolated part of the airport rather than eating in one of the restaurants to reduce our risk. I even brought a few straws so I could drink on the plane by tucking it under my mask instead of completely removing it. I can’t say how helpful this strategy is, but I wanted to try everything I could.
On the transatlantic flight, they recommended eating quickly, in less than 15 minutes if possible, and I expect this advice came from studies that found exposures of less than 15 minutes resulted in lower rates of infection. They also suspended service of coffee and alcoholic drinks that are slower to consume and would have greatly increased the time passengers had their masks off. As well, planes were loaded from back to front to decrease contact between people. First Class now gives you the privilege of boarding last without having to pass by other passengers!
But on shorter flights I’d suggest eating and hydrating before you board and keeping a mask on the entire time.
Modify your activities
Lastly, we are being careful about where we go and what we do. Just like at home in Canada, we mostly eat at home. We haven’t used public transit or eaten inside a restaurant yet and may avoid these the entire time we’re here. When eating out, we choose a restaurant with outdoor seating (not possible back home in Canada this time of year!) and well-spaced tables. And, of course, there’s always “take away”, as they call it here, if you don’t feel like cooking, and lots of prepared foods are available to make cooking easier at home, not to mention the wonderful fresh fruits and veggies. There are many small apartments available here, reasonably priced even for shorter vacations, making it easier to cook at your home-away-from-home.
We decided that the purpose of our trip was to be outdoors, enjoying the sunshine and warm temperatures, and walking more than we would at home. Like many European destinations, we can walk to do all our errands—this is one of the things we love about coming here! We go home in better physical (and mental!) condition than when we arrived because of all the walking we do in the (almost always sunny) Costa del Sol. This will not be a sight-seeing trip… We’ll save that for another time!
Especially with short vacations, sticking to outdoor activities, enjoying the weather, and getting some exercise where you can stay distanced from others can still be a great break while making sure you’ll be able to make your scheduled return home. Of course, you can’t travel if you’ve caught the virus and even a mild infection can mean rescheduling flights, especially on a short trip. So, you’d want to use extra caution, for example, avoiding indoor public buildings, at least for the last 2 weeks before your return… which is likely the entire time on a shorter vacation.
Whether you vacation near your home or travel to another continent, your choices make a difference in your risk of getting a COVID infection that could ruin your holiday. Of course, I’m not advocating for everyone to hop on a plane next week but, if you do decide to travel, plan ahead and adjust your expectations for holiday activities. With vaccination, preparation and choosing your activities carefully, it’s possible now to have a safe, enjoyable vacation that’s good for your mental and physical health!
