7 Items to Help You Stay COVID-free When Flying
As countries and states lift their travel bans, flight restrictions, and stay-at-home orders, many of the people who have been in lockdown are itching to bust out. For some, the gym and the grocery store is enough; others are willing to risk going to bars and restaurants; but there’s another group that’s eager to see the world or has to fly to return home or see their family.
Whether it’s for pleasure, familial obligations, or business, the urge to hop on a plane is now being realized. Airlines are adjusting to the new abnormal by offering lower rates and hotels are doing their part to boost tourism as well. Add it all up and planes will be packed soon once again soon enough — perhaps too soon with COVID-19 still lingering. With the world continually moving in a more global, multicultural direction, the scope and frequency of travel is an inevitable part of life.
So instead of telling you not to travel, our team, with careful consideration of expert advice, CDC guidelines, and input from other veteran travelers, has selected 7 items to help keep you coronavirus-free as you jet set. From the basic face mask that keeps you and your fellow passengers safe to sanitary products, you should pack some of, if not all of these items in your travel bag:
1) Face Mask
Despite any controversy regarding face masks, there’s ample evidence to show that they help reduce the likelihood of catching and spreading coronavirus. Of course, it is possible to still contract COVID with a face covering, but it’s way less probable. The CDC recommends a cloth mask whenever you’re in public and that definitely extends to close-quarters settings you’ll find yourself in on a commercial flight.
2) Disposable Gloves
The CDC has stated that gloves are not necessary for everyday usage, however, they recommend them for cleaning and our travel pros recommended them for at least the plane ride to and from your destination.
3) Portable Charger
In the time of COVID nobody really wants to let you borrow their charger for obvious reasons. You’re also probably not going to want to sanitize a public device either. To avoid this issue, pack a portable charger. We reached out to a few of our favorite digital nomad influencers for their top picks and heard a couple common responses.
4) Hand Sanitizer
Washing your hands is the best way to keep your hands clean, but you can avoid even touching anything in a public restroom and maybe you don’t have access to water and soap. The next best thing is hand sanitizer. The CDC recommends using one with at least 60 percent alcohol before and after eating food or being in a public place.
5) Lightweight Blanket
Not only is a lightweight blanket going to make your flight more comfortable; it’s also a way of preventing more unnecessary points of contact with potentially contaminated surfaces. From airplane armrests to hotel beds, keep yourself a little safer by wrapping up snug and cozy in a blanket.
6) Phone Sanitizer
No matter how often you wash your hands or avoid touching things in public, your phone is a petri dish for bacteria. Keep it germ-free by using a travel phone sanitizer. PhoneSoap performed best in lab tests at reducing bacteria counts and does the job in under six minutes. Additionally, it works for more than just your phone (credit cards, wallet, keys, etc.).
7) Travel Mug
The theme to all of our recommendations is that they’re designed around reducing unnecessary contact with contaminated surfaces — of any kind. That may include cups provided on the airlines, hotels, or rental accomodations. One of the most durable and portable travel mugs is the Zojirushi Stainless Steel Mug, which is made from naturally germ-resistant materials. It’s also well-insulated enough that it’ll keep your coffee hot for 24 hours.
