LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As we enter the festive interval and are gearing up for the busy journey season, International SOS shares knowledgeable suggestions for travelling safely throughout this vacation season.
Though most of us have adjusted to the brand new regular for a while now and the provision of COVID-19 vaccines makes this season safer to journey than the earlier two years, many people are nonetheless dealing with the challenges of navigating varied travel threats. Together with COVID-19, the specter of seasonal viruses, together with influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) stays.
Perennial security and safety dangers together with excessive climate occasions and legal actions similar to scams, pickpocketing and stolen passports might additionally affect private security. These travelling through the vacation interval ought to fastidiously think about the dangers, particularly when in crowded places, and take preventive actions to mitigate these points.
The variety of folks travelling between now and the beginning of the brand new yr is predicted to be near pre-pandemic ranges. Earlier this yr, there was a surge within the variety of travellers globally, with the entire variety of passengers in August reported up by 67.7% in comparison with August 2021.1 The excessive passenger quantity over the vacation season is prone to lead to lengthy traces at airports and prepare stations, busy planes and congested roads.
In the course of the summer season months within the Northern Hemisphere, there have been main flight delays and cancellations as airline carriers struggled to deal with the vacation journey surge attributable to strike actions and staffing shortages. As winter approaches in lots of elements of the world, there’s an elevated threat arising from airline personnel calling in sick attributable to flu and different sickness, which can trigger additional journey disruptions.
Dr Katherine O’Reilly, Medical Director at International SOS feedback, “This yr, folks can have a good time the festivities safely, offered they use accessible sources together with COVID -19 and flu vaccines, COVID-19 exams, keep away from being round others when feeling unwell and proceed to apply good hygiene. It’s tough to foretell what is going to occur with COVID-19, however superior planning can assist us shield ourselves and one another over the vacations. Nonetheless, it’s not simply COVID-19 that travellers want to concentrate on, as circumstances of flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) are already growing and starting to trigger pressure on hospitals in Canada and the USA.2 It can be crucial that employers proceed to share up-to-date recommendation to assist their staff safely benefit from the festive interval.”
Prime journey security suggestions that organisations can encourage for the festive season
- Be ready – test entry necessities for your vacation spot. Verify which vaccinations you might want and if antimalarial is required. Schedule a journey well being session nicely upfront.
- Be COVID-safe – discover out the coronavirus developments at your journey vacation spot. Guarantee your COVID-19 and flu vaccines are updated. Don’t drop your guard over the vacation interval and keep in mind the straightforward measures (good hygiene, masks in crowded areas) to lower COVID-19 dangers.
- Keep versatile itineraries – it’s good apply to maintain departure and return dates/routes as versatile as attainable. Contingency plans stay essential, plan for the surprising. What would you do in the event you wanted to self-isolate?
- Timing is all the pieces – enable further journey time to succeed in your vacation spot as it’s prone to be extra congested in airports, stations and on the roads because of the elevated quantity of journey.
- Be crowd secure – when travelling, you’ll be able to steadily encounter queues and crowds. As soon as at your vacation spot, you might also expertise massive crowds at festive occasions similar to markets or spiritual providers. At all times have a 360-degree consciousness of your environment, keep vigilant, preserve valuables safe or out of sight and determine your closest factors of exit. Abide by native directives if an incident does happen.
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Eat, drink and be jolly knowledgeable – the important thing to travelling comfortably this vacation season is to maintain knowledgeable of probably the most up-to-date data and any rising developments. In case you are travelling to a new place, analysis your vacation spot earlier than you arrive and know whom to name in an emergency. Monitor native media for updates, pay attention to the climate circumstances and seek the advice of with the locals for details about the most secure neighbourhoods, locations to remain and incidences of crime.
- The International Air Transport Affiliation (IATA) | Peak travel season ends on a high note in August
- World Financial Discussion board | RSV could cause a ‘tripledemic’ – here’s what you need to know
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In regards to the International SOS Group of Firms
The International SOS Group of Firms is within the enterprise of saving lives, defending your world workforce from well being and safety threats. Wherever you might be, we ship customised well being, safety threat administration and wellbeing options to gas your progress and productiveness. Within the occasion of utmost climate, an epidemic or a safety incident, we offer a right away response offering peace of thoughts. Our revolutionary know-how and medical and safety experience give attention to prevention, providing real-time, actionable insights and on-the-ground high quality supply. We assist shield your folks, your organisation’s status, in addition to assist your compliance reporting wants. By partnering with us, organisations can fulfil their Obligation of Care tasks, whereas empowering enterprise resilience, continuity and sustainability.
Based in 1985, the International SOS Group, headquartered in London & Singapore, is trusted by 9,500 organisations, together with nearly all of the Fortune World 500 in addition to mid-size enterprises, governments, instructional establishments, and NGOs. 13,000 multi-cultural safety, medical, logistics and digital consultants stand by you to supply assist & help from over 1,000 places in 90 nations, 24/7, one year.
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