The CDC officially recommends that we should all try to limit our travel as much as possible, but there are still reasons why you might need to hop on a plane or head across town. For instance, many of us still need to work, and travel is a requirement. Others might need to care for friends or family or head to doctor’s visits for their own pre-existing conditions.
Whatever the case is, there are some things you should never leave the house without, especially for long-term travel arrangements. Let’s break down those top five travel essentials now.
Travel During COVID-19
COVID-19 is still making waves throughout the world, in part due to inefficient lockdown procedures and partially because of how easy it is for the virus to leap from person-to-person. Current science indicates that COVID-19 primarily jumps from infected individuals to the uninfected through the air, surviving in microscopic liquid droplets that can easily be breathed in by someone who isn’t taking the right precautions.
This makes travel during the COVID-19 pandemic a much riskier affair than it is normally – and most people already know that you have to be more careful about getting sick when you travel in the first place. Although COVID-19 represents a significant danger for a lot of people, some still need to travel, either for work or for emergency reasons.
Thus, it’s important to know how you can travel as safely as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to practicing good travel safety habits and maximizing the distance between yourself and other people, there are also some travel essentials you can take that may be of serious benefit.
Top 5 Things You Need When Traveling
We all know the basics we need when traveling like a suitcase, changes of clothes, and your smartphone or tablet charger. But in this day and age, there are some extra essentials you'll need to keep with you when you travel. Try to keep these things on your person or in your carry-on bag if you fly so you can always reach them when necessary.
Hand Sanitizer
The first of the bunch is hand sanitizer.
It’s no secret that hand sanitizer remains many folks’ best defense against COVID-19 and other types of infectious diseases. While the CDC does say that hot water and soap are superior options for effectively scrubbing your hands and getting rid of most types of bacteria, hand sanitizer can still be an excellent tool because hand sanitizer is easy to apply on the go and doesn’t require you to find hot water to be effective.
Hand sanitizer, like Dr. Brite’s Unscented option, can be applied in just seconds; a single dollop is enough to cover both hands and the solution dries off rapidly.
After being applied, however, lots of hand sanitizer products leave your hands feeling dry and itchy. That’s why we produce our hand sanitizers with several essential oils to help moisturize your hands without diluting the effectiveness of the sanitizer solution. Our sanitizers are even created with 70% isopropyl alcohol; this is above what the CDC recommends for hand sanitizer to be effective.
Hand sanitizer is also an excellent travel essential since it often comes in travel-sized or smaller bottles. This makes it easy to keep them on your person or take them on an airplane, as many hand sanitizer bottles are small enough that the TSA will let you through without forcing you to buy another past airport security.
Bottom line: don’t go traveling without a bottle of hand sanitizer, so you can keep your hands relatively clean as you unavoidably touch things as you go.
Face Masks
Of course, face masks are another go-to travel essential these days. We'd specifically recommend using multiple masks instead of just one. There are a few reasons for this:
- Over time, using a single facemask could make your experience more uncomfortable than it has to be. Your mask will start to smell bad, and bacteria may begin to grow on the inside depending on the material.
- Furthermore, fresh masks are easier to swap out from time to time. Masks don’t protect you permanently from COVID-19 or other viruses and they need to be swapped out if you breathe through them for a long time when you’re in close proximity to other people.
- Having multiple masks means you can keep track of how many you use every day, and it means you can safely wash or clean masks while still having one to wear.
Most places that allow travel will require you to wear facemasks anyway, so we’d recommend picking up several so you don’t get stopped in the middle of your journey.
Fortunately, Dr. Brite offers 2-pack face masks as well as 4-pack face masks for adults and kids. These are made with breathable materials, too, so you won’t feel too uncomfortable even if you wear them for many hours at a time.
The secret is the 3-layer design each of our masks uses. The outer layer is designed to be UV resistant and anti-droplet. Meanwhile, the next sewn-in filter is perfect for filtering out contaminants and bacteria that may be floating in the air. Lastly, the inner layer is designed to be cool and sweat-absorbent, maximizing your comfort over the long-term.
All of these masks can easily be machine-washed, or you can use a regular clothes iron to sterilize them in a hurry. The heat and water will destroy most viruses embedded in any mask fibers or layers.
Toothbrush and Toothpaste
Don’t forget your toothbrush and toothpaste! These are essentials that most people won’t travel without anyway, but they’re arguably even more important now than they were before.
That’s because, if you’re following CDC recommendations and wearing a mask 24/7 when you travel, you’ll also be smelling your own breath for hours at a time. Would you rather smell the last thing you ate, or minty freshness?
Chances are, it’s the latter. Dr. Brite, of course, produces top-tier sonic toothbrushes and other oral care products. Getting a new electric toothbrush is a good idea if you plan on traveling for a long time, as electric toothbrushes are more effective than manual ones and most are easy to charge on the go these days.
But you’ll also want to look into an excellent toothpaste. Be sure to choose one that comes in a flavor that you enjoy – again, you’ll have to deal with it as you breathe in through your mask during your travel arrangements.
Also make sure to look into fluoride-free toothpastes, like all of Dr. Brite's. In a nutshell, too much fluoride can actually lead to health risks like fluorosis. Since most of us already get fluoride in our drinking water, many of us also don't need a toothpaste that's chock-full of the stuff.
Be sure to check out our toothpaste options for fluoride-free cleaning, plus toothpastes designed to help with tooth sensitivity.
Alcohol Wipes
Alcohol wipes are another great travel essential. But wait. Aren’t you already bringing hand sanitizer?
While this is true, you may still need alcohol wipes to sanitize and clean the surfaces of your everyday objects. Say that you bring your tablet or charger with you to the airport. It’ll help to have alcohol wipes handy to wipe down the devices or other objects you use.
It’snot a good idea to use hand sanitizer to clean objects other than your hands. Hand sanitizer is designed to be a little wetter than alcohol wipes and is ideal for skin use. Furthermore, alcohol wipes are disposable and easy to run across surfaces you may need to share or touch for a while, such as a table you’ll be eating on.
Bottom line: alcohol wipes are really handy for cleaning your surrounding environment, and you’ll definitely have to touch a lot of high traffic surfaces while you travel.
Pet Care Supplies
Lastly, many of us can’t bear to part with our pets while we travel. If that’s the case, you should also make sure you get plenty of pet care supplies to bring in your travel suitcase. While pets don’t suffer from COVID-19, they can still get sick or dirty when they travel.
Dr. Brite’s collection of pet care supplies is one place you can look to make sure you have everything you need to keep your travel companion as safe and healthy as yourself. Oral cleansing spray, for instance, can keep their teeth healthy over the long-term. Meanwhile, our Cleansing Wipes are great for keeping their fur and ears clean.
Summary
All in all, traveling requires a little more preparation and many more essential tools to make sure that your journey is a safe and successful one. But it’s still very possible to travel without getting sick – you just need the right stuff and the right habits.
Remember to keep all five of the above travel essentials in your kit and you’ll be well on your way to being a safe traveler. Good luck!
FAQs
1. How do you stay hygienic while traveling?
Pack sunblock, moisturizers, and lip balms that are appropriate for your skin type and the environment in which you will be traveling. During the summer, stay hydrated and take care of your face hygiene. Always carry a rinse-free face cleanser, facial wipes, and makeup remover.
2. What should I pack for a 5 day trip for women?
Include 2-3 pairs of shorts or slacks, 3-4 shirts, a light jacket (or a heavy jacket, depending on your destination), and one formal outfit if you plan to dine at a great restaurant or attend an event. If you are going to the beach, bring 2-3 swimsuits/trunks.
3. What essentials do you need for traveling?
- An all-in-one wallet and passport case.
- Chargers and adapters for mobile phones.
- Reusable bottle of water.
- Hand sanitizer.
- Beauty products.
- You will need a camera.
- Travel journal and pen.
- Walking shoes.
Sources
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-covid-19-how-is-it-transmitted
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-hand-sanitizer.html
