COVID-19?! Travel Nightmares. I’m sure all of you are wondering how…
By: Shanel Morae
Tags: Tips, Health, Medical, Preparation, Travel

I’m sure all of you are wondering how the Feathered Traveler is doing in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak. I can tell you that while this is pretty crazy, the rates at which people are getting this virus has surely sparked many red flags on my current travels. However, my friend and I are actively watching to determine what precautions and measures we should take in a time like this.

A little bit of background on what’s going on across the pond; a person in Wuhan, China contracted the coronavirus Dec. 1, 2019 and since then the virus has spread like wildfire. Originally the virus was only spreading throughout several provinces in China, but as of today the virus has spread to the European continent, many middle eastern countries, the Americas, Southeast Asia and counting. We are fortunate to say that while over 100,000 people have contracted the virus, around 61,000 have recovered. This, however, does not stop the number of growing cases.

The number of cases as well as deaths from the virus are doubling and tripling each day. Though these stats do not reflect the world population, this is still a cause for major concern and trust me when I say all health measures are being taken over here, and I do mean ALL OF THEM! Traveling is risky business right now; figuring out which flights to take and when to take them have never been more stressful. The discussions to travel usually comes down to how much we want to spend. This go round is a bit different because now the question is where do we go from here? What flights can we take? How do we reduce our risk? What does self-quarantining look like? All extreme questions that require much thought and planning. At the rate the virus is going, there is no way to tell who has it and cases from country to country show no sign of declination at the moment.

I know some of you are wondering where I am now. Well, I’ve been in Morocco for about 7 weeks. It has been amazing here and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it but that’s an article for another time. I can tell you that here in Morocco there are only two cases. There have been other cases reported around the continent but our environment, more specifically, the city of Agadir has shown no current signs of the virus. Due to the virus, we decided to change our diets from meat based to mostly plant based. Reason being, animals can’t tell anyone they are sick and they can contract the virus from other animals and people. With that being said… Veggie me please (maybe a little chicken)!

There are research articles that trace this virus along with several others to animals and animal consumption.(click this link to read more information)

Though the cases have not grown much here in Morocco, tourist are leaving and cancelling flight in droves. Listening to the news and checking credible medical websites for updates is essential to know what’s going on and the steps one can take in protecting themselves in the best way possible.

Here are so precautions that we can take in order to ensure we are doing our part to protect ourselves and others (click the links below to find and order you products):

Face masks — despite what the media says, you can still protect your health and breathing room from someone who may have the virus. The proper masks to get are the N-95 medical masks. These help to protect you from the germs in the air, while the other face mask only keep the people who are already sick from spreading it. So be sure you grab the proper mask.

— despite what the media says, you can still protect your health and breathing room from someone who may have the virus. The proper masks to get are the N-95 medical masks. These help to protect you from the germs in the air, while the other face mask only keep the people who are already sick from spreading it. So be sure you grab the proper mask. Sterile gloves

Plenty of hand sanitizer : Please remember to wash your hands as often as you think about it. Also, it’s best to stick to the recommended time of 20 secs and after that maybe add a little extra time to washing your hands.

Please remember to wash your hands as often as you think about it. Also, it’s best to stick to the recommended time of 20 secs and after that maybe add a little extra time to washing your hands. Antibacterial wipes

Tissue

Cleaning products such as bleach, disinfectants, antibacterial hand soap. (Although these are common household products, be sure to stock up while you can)

Preparation and planning are key elements for this epidemic and for the travelers, there are tough decisions that we need to make. Taking all things into consideration, the goal is to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19. So, make the right calls, grab supplies while they last, and most of all, travel safely.