Vaxxed, Packed, & Ready to Travel
Whether you’re a #ModernaMami, #PfizerPapi, Team John and Johnson, or none of the above, one thing we can all agree on is that we’re tired of being in the damn house! For more than a year, we’ve all been waiting for that precious moment where we could walk down the aisle and hear the coveted words, “This is your captain speaking,” — or maybe that’s just me.
Now that the world is slowly opening back up with the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, international travel is beginning to draw in more and more people looking to get away and make up for all that missed travel time during the height of the pandemic.
While we might all have the itch to jet set there’s still plenty to consider before booking that flight. Here’s a look at five tips to help you plan your post-pandemic getaway!
CHECK THE NATIONAL TOURISM SITE
In a (sort of) post-pandemic world, all the crucial information you will need can be found on your destination’s tourism website. Important information such as health screenings, entry approval, travel authorizations, COVID testing requirements, and more will be right there. Literally everything down to the type of COVID test you need to take is at your fingertips. The last thing you want to do is book that flight and get turned around at the gate due to missing documents or inaccurate COVID testing information. Trust me — I’ve seen it happen before and it ain’t pretty!
BE CONSCIOUS OF CURFEWS
Post-pandemic I’ve traveled mostly to the Caribbean due in large part to the fact that I don’t feel comfortable enough going overseas just yet with COVID cases still spiking in certain areas. With that being said, curfews are still a thing in some countries, especially in parts of the Caribbean. Be sure to check out details on times and days that officials are mandating people to be off the streets. In some cases there are fines and/or jail time associated with this if you’re caught on the streets without the proper paperwork.
PLAN IN ADVANCE
With traveling to your favorite countries looking so different these days it’s also best to come in with a plan, not just vibes. I’m a huge proponent of itineraries, unless your plans are to bum at the beach all day, every day, which is cool too! You’ll find that several excursions and tours get booked up fairly quickly due to reduced capacity and an increased volume of people looking to take part. Have a plan and save yourself the headache later.
SETUP TESTING FOR U.S. RE-ENTRY
I know, who wants to think about a COVID test in the midst of vacation?! Well, the answer is no one, however, making it a part of your pre-planning process of can be extremely helpful. My best advice would be to re-visit the tourism website to see how and where testing is done. I just recently returned from Jamaica with friends and our group found all of our testing information here on the tourism website. We were even able to arrange for a nurse to travel to us at the hotel in order to perform COVID testing. You can also check with hotels at your destination to see if they offer testing to guests as well.
MONITOR COVID CASES AT YOUR DESTINATION
Another wise thing to do is to monitor the amount of cases at your destination. If there are recent spikes, there could also be some changes that might effect your travel. Airlines typically keep you updated on that now with how fluid the pandemic has been in different parts of the world, however, I always say best practice is to monitor and stay informed independently on what’s going on up until your travel dates and throughout the duration of your trip.
In a post-lockdown world traveling looks so different. From travel requirements, to testing, and restrictions, there is so much to consider. However, I think we can all agree it feels great to finally get out again and explore what the world has to offer. Which destinations are on your travel list? Share them in the comments!
