As the COVID-19 situation is progressing and the Government guidance continues to change as lockdown restrictions are eased throughout the United Kingdom, individuals may be feeling anxious about going back to “normal life” and to how safe it is to go on holiday. This article looks at things to consider when you are looking to travel or go on holiday. Some are factors that we may have considered before going on holiday before the COVID19 pandemic arose, but there is now so much more to consider.
What are the latest rules around travel?
For more information on the latest travel guidelines please check the below websites:
England:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-abroad-from-england-during-coronavirus-covid-19
Wales:https://gov.wales/rules-foreign-travel-and-wales-coronavirus-covid-19
Scotland:https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-travel-and-transport/
It is important to consider how COVID-19 guidelines may affect your future travel plans and to what the consequences may be. When booking a holiday or making any travel arrangements, it may be worth asking yourself the below questions:
- What happens if I am away and another lockdown is enforced?
- Will I need to pay extra to have a COVID-19 test?
- Will I need to pay extra costs for quarantine hotels and associated costs?
- Will I have to quarantine for an amount of time when I arrive at my destination?
- Will I have to quarantine when I return back home from my destination?
- How long will I need in total for my holiday due to quarantine guidelines?
- Can I get the time off from work for my holiday and for the amount of time that I would need to quarantine following my holiday? (If you went abroad for two weeks and then the government guidance was that you needed to self-isolate for ten days following your arrival back into the United Kingdom would you be able to have 24 days off from work in total for example?)
- What happens if the government advice on quarantine changes whilst you are abroad? (Say for example you are in Greece for ten days and while you are there the United Kingdom quarantine guidance changes from not having to quarantine to having to quarantine for fourteen days on your return) Consider whether you would be able to have the extra time off from work or be able to work from home?
- What happens if you were going to be flying for your holiday and you get to the airport and they are taking temperatures of individuals before people get onto the plane and someone in your party cannot get on the plane as their temperature is too high. Would you go without them? Or would you all return home? This is not only worth considering when flying out of the United Kingdom but also for your return flight
- Will your travel insurance cover you if you cannot travel due to COVID-19?
- What happens if you or someone you are travelling with contracts COVID-19 whilst you are away? Remember that the quarantine guidelines may be different depending on where you are located
- It is always worth asking yourself to consider the worst case scenarios of traveling during this time so that you can prepare for these situations as best you can
- Do I have enough supplies if I have to self-isolate on my return home?
- Will I miss any planned events/appointments if I have to quarantine/self-isolate on my return from my holiday?
- Do I need to inform schools/nurseries if our household has to quarantine following a holiday?
- Will my travel insurance cover me for any loss of earnings if I have to quarantine following a holiday?
- Do I need to prove I have had the COVID-19 vaccine before flying or entering a different country?
How can Care first help?
If you feel you may need some emotional or practical support, you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. Whilst our BACP accredited counsellors are available 24/7 to provide support with emotional issues, our expertly trained information specialists are available 8am8pm Monday-Friday to provide advice on any practical issues that may be causing you a stress or worry and help you feel more in control of a situation. All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support.
If you would like to learn more about “Travelling Safely” Then please join our webinar on Wednesday 18th August at 12pm using the details below –
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6140500179016996368
If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place. If you wish to contact the Care first telephone counselling and information line then please don’t hesitate to call the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.