The Coronavirus has captivated headlines across the world and thrown the international travel scene into disarray. While the general recommendation is to avoid travel, especially to areas with intense outbreaks, the reality is that many business travellers will still find themselves sitting on a plane in the coming weeks and need to protect themselves from infection. Here are a few essential steps to help keep you safe from COVID-19.

Know Before You Go

The first step is to ensure you do your research before you travel – is your destination under lockdown, are you covered by your insurance, and are you in danger of being stuck there when the airlines cut frequency or, in the worst-case scenario, cancel flights altogether. The Centre for Disease Control in the US has a regularly updated list of travel warnings and restrictions based on the outbreak, as well as information on potential quarantines faced by arriving travellers.

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Avoid Close Contact

If you do have to travel, it’s wise to be vigilant and that means avoiding close contact (where possible) with people with obvious symptoms of a cold or flu. Of course, one of the aspects of this outbreak is a long incubation period so it might not be possible to recognise the signs. While a mask won’t stop an airborne virus (and it’s a hotly debated topic, especially in Asia, where you’ll receive a much warmer reception with one on), it may help protect you from contaminated droplets from other spluttering travellers when on planes, in buses or taxis, and while waiting in queues. The mask will also keep you from touching your face – especially your sensitive T zone – with potentially germ-covered hands. With or without a mask, it’s important to cough and sneeze into a tissue (not your hands) and then to discard the tissue responsibility.

Maintain Good Hygiene

Washing your hands is the best defence against infection and the CDC recommends washing hands with water and soap for at least 20 seconds. If you can’t get access to water and soap, a disinfecting gel with an alcohol level of at least 60 per cent will help keep you safe until you can wash again.

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Keep a Clean Surrounding

When you sit down on a plane, get into the habit of wiping down all the surfaces you may touch during your flight. Some travellers have been using small spray bottles (remember under 100ml) filled with a bleach-water mixture and when used in conjunction with disinfectant wipes will at least help maintain a safe zone around you while you travel. This also means those clean hands won’t pick up germs the second you sit down.

Book a Window Seat

Planes have powerful air filters but it doesn’t hurt to reduce your potential exposure to other passengers. A window seat cuts that exposure down by half, just remember to wipe down that shade before you get some sleep.

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