Stay Safe on Holiday: Our Tips for Those with Pre-Existing Conditions Travelling During the Pandemic

It has now been almost a year since the UK was placed in it is first national lockdown and since then we have had three different waves of the virus. The development of different vaccines and the speed at which the UK have issued these to the population has been tremendous where high risk people have mainly had the vaccine. The government has promised to have this available for all people aged over 18, by the end of the summer.

Despite, the vaccination program, there is still a risk to people’s health, especially those with pre-existing conditions, and it is important for the country not to get complacent. Here are some of the tips that people with pre-existing conditions travelling during the pandemic should consider.

Travel Insurance

At the top of our list is travel insurance. This is a must for people with health conditions. We should not take for granted that us in the UK have a free NHS service at the point of use – this does not exist in most other countries. It is, therefore, important that people with pre-existing conditions look at the insurance options available. Going to a country that you are not a national of and falling ill is something that can be quite complicated, in relation to getting medical help. It will normally cost you a lot of money unless you have taken out travel insurance with existing medical conditions.

These sort of insurance policies are not expensive at all and will vary in price depending on the medical condition that you have. It is a good peace of mind that if you take this out, you will be able to get the right level of medical attention if you need it, and not pay any money towards it.

Covid-19 Levels

Although the UK seems to be in a very strong position in terms of covid-19 case reductions, not all other countries are the same. Some are heading in the wrong direction and with different variants out there that are potentially more dangerous, it is important to keep informed as those with pre-existing conditions are particularly vulnerable. There is a lot of guidance on the different government webpages which will also give information as to whether or not to travel and if so, what precautions should be taken. Be sure to read up on this but also not as a one off exercise – keen informed regularly about the Covid-19 levels and variants in the area and what (if any) additional precautions are required.

Mask-wearing

The main thing you can do to keep others safe is to wear a mask when you’re inside or on public transport. Even if you’re not particularly close to anyone, the virus can accumulate in the air as you breathe it out. As it gets concentrated, people on the other side of the room can breathe it in, causing them to become infected. Wearing a mask will catch the virus and stop it from reaching the air, in exactly the same way as you should cover your face when you cough or sneeze. You can find a wide range of medical masks on sites like sciquip.co.uk should you be running low – it’s always good to have some handy for when you’re popping out.

Social Distancing

Social distancing has now been in place within the UK for some time now. This is a real key measure to keep safe. If people are not properly socially distanced, then there is a risk that they will either contract the virus or they will pass it on. People sometimes also forget that around 35% of people that actually contract the virus have no symptoms at all. As a result, when in contact with someone else, they should keep their distance as they could have the virus and they do not even know about it.

Summary

With travel restrictions being eased in the near future, the biggest tip is to be precautious. The virus is very likely to still be around us in some form and not be eliminated 100%. If you are going to another country, read up on their current rates, the different variants that are active but also make sure you get yourself some travel insurance so that if something does happen, you have access to free health care.