The Good Egg Car Safety Blog

Traveling Safely With Kids During COVID-19

After more than a year of staying home and adjusting to "the new normal", kids are itching to see new sights and to have a bit of fun outside. But according to Healthy Children, many families are still skeptical about traveling, especially since vaccines aren't available yet for children under age 12. While parents are more protected, children are at risk because of the highly contagious Delta variant. However, as legal restrictions are now being lifted across the UK, it's now possible to go on those postponed trips. Use these tips to keep you well-prepared and to help limit your family's risk of exposure.

Research Your Destination

Some destinations are safer than others, so this should be your number one consideration. For instance, BBC reports that unlike areas like Bristol and Cambridge, which are both within the 400-999 daily infection range, Wales is only in the 50-199 range. Safer areas also have fewer social distancing rules, and no limit to the number of people who can meet indoors and outdoors, including restaurants and parks. Face masks are still compulsory in most public places and transport, but it's an additional precaution you'd want in order to keep your family safe as well.

Rent A Camper Van

Try to head somewhere that is reachable by private car or van and avoid flying in planes. Now is the perfect time for road trips—when traveling in a camper van, Jane Adamson notes that you need to pack smart. And during a pandemic, packing smart also means packing for all the essentials so you can avoid going for pit stops as much as possible. One of the pros of taking a trailer with you on your trip is that you don't need to worry about where to stop for food or the safety of roadside restaurants. You can make your own tasty and healthy meals for the family.

Road trips usually take a few hours at least, and besides keeping your family safe from the virus, you'll also want to keep them safe during the long ride. Investing in a quality child car seat which is suitable for both your child and any car it is used in, for example, will keep a child of any age properly secured and comfortable. Besides this, it's also important to keep toys, medications, and a first-aid kit safely in the boot so if you are involved in a collision, they don't become dangerous projectiles around the car.

 Limit Your Interactions With Others

Although airline industries take precautionary measures to lower the risk of transmission, it's still less safe than traveling by car. So if you must fly, Travel Health Pro advises people to try to book direct flights to avoid busy airports and packed planes. It's also best to keep your family from removing their mask during the flight—this means opting out of meals. Avoid interacting with others when sightseeing, as anything from speaking, coughing, and sneezing can generate droplets that could potentially carry COVID-19, as well as other viruses.

Teach Your Kids COVID-19 Protection Strategies

It goes without saying that you should make sure your family is constantly practicing sanitary measures. Wear masks constantly, and wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds whenever possible. Pack enough masks to last the duration of the trip and sanitize any high-touch surfaces you encounter, like car handles and doorknobs. Bring travel-sized hand sanitizers for everyone, and toss in a refill bottle in your bag.

It can be tempting to be lax and to just enjoy your trip, but it's more important to consider all the risks and prioritize your family's safety first.

Submitted by Camila Bourne for goodeggcarsafety.com

  3332 Hits
  1 Comment
Recent comment in this post
Guest — Mark Wellberth
This information is very timely. I agree that you need to look into these aspects when traveling nowadays, especially with kids. N... Read More
Friday, 19 November 2021 01:56
3332 Hits
1 Comment

Supported By

Arnold Clark
Britax logo

Working in collaboration with

RSS logo
Police Scotland Logo
Scottish Fire
RSGB
IAM RoadSmart_Logo_RGB_72dpi
Baby Products Association