Self-quarantine after travel is a significant way to stop the possible transmission of COVID-19, be it to your loved ones or your colleagues at work.

Admit it. It’s a tad difficult to stop yourself from traveling especially when you’re so used to going places way before the onset of this nasty pandemic. Experts, however, stress that it’s important for you to follow protocols. So, even when you can get away with it, you need to remember to self-quarantine after travel.

If you’ve been out of state during Thanksgiving, it’s crucial to self-quarantine after travel. California announced that traveling residents must do a 14-day quarantine right after arrival. Moreover, if you’ve been lengthyly exposed to someone who isn’t part of your household, it’s imperative for you to quarantine yourself, as well.

Dr. Robert Kim-Farley, former director of the division of communicable disease control and prevention at the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and a current professor at UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, asserts that people must do self-quarantine after travel, an automatic new normal response as opposed to doing complete isolation when you know that you have the COVID-19 virus. Self-quarantining, he says, is a kind of middle ground between full isolation and outdoor mask-wearing.

The term, “quarantine,” has seemingly lost its gravity as we typically have been hearing it since the onset of this deadly pandemic. Nevertheless, it is crucial to take heed of the different warnings provided by authorities as to the significance of this word. More so, doing self-quarantine after travel allows us to protect others especially if we have been unknowingly exposed to the virus while traveling.

Below are several tips that we should remember as regards the importance of voluntary self-quarantine after travel.

What is self-quarantine? Self-quarantine is the act of staying isolated from others for 14 days after we arrive from a prolonged travel to another area besides our own. This means, then, that you voluntarily stay away from people, even from your housemates, for a period of two weeks to eradicate the possibility of COVID-19 transmission if, for instance, you’ve been unfortunately infected with it. The 14-day rule also allows you to check yourself for the symptoms of the virus as they typically manifest themselves during the said duration.

Aside from staying away from your family and housemates, it is also crucial to stay home from work. This means that you can apply for a work from home arrangement, as well. Doing a self-quarantine after travel includes isolating yourself from work colleagues, preferring to do WFH for the time being. As with the possibility of transmitting COVID-19 to your family, you might transfer the virus to your workmates, as well. A responsible traveler, of course, must aim to halt infection and the two-week isolation is an effective safety measure.

Finally, Kim-Farley shares that, as regards food and other essentials, you may want to adopt a temporary no-contact basis of procuring these things. For example, you can ask your loved ones to leave these implements outside your room or, if you live alone, you can request deliveries to be left on your doorstep. Paying for these goods may be done through digital means, as well. Self-quarantine after travel is your way of helping halt the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus as more and more cases are still being reported daily.

Fancy restaurants are nice for the right situation, like proposing to your girlfriend or celebrating an anniversary, however, they’re not that great when you just want to eat something quick and continue shopping or when you’re stumbling home after a long night at the bars. Plus, dining at a restaurant every meal is a great way to eat up your travel budget. When you’re looking for something quick and cheap to eat that still tastes great consider these cities with street food that will blow you away. 

Bangkok, Thailand

When you think street food, Bangkok should be the first city that pops into your head. The street food is so good in Bangkok that you might not set foot in a single restaurant your whole trip. You can find breakfast, lunch, and dinner on the streets here, as well as late night eats.

You don’t have to go far to find your favorites like pad thai and grilled satay but you can also push yourself and try some dishes you won’t see in the Thai restaurants back home like hoy tod nai mong, a crisply fried mussel pancake that a chef makes one by one on a charcoal stove.

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo has so much great food it should be illegal. Everyone knows about the sushi in Japan but there is so much more. Izakayas are informal style gastropubs that serve grilled meats and vegetables cooked on charcoal, don’t worry, they usually serve sushi too, as well as a ton of beer. You can also find ramen, soba, tempura and even non-Japanese food like burgers or hot dogs.

Durban, South Africa

The food in Durban is unique to Durban. Here you will find a blend of Zulu, Indian and white South Africans who each have their hand in creating this unique mix of culture and cuisine.

Try the bunny chow, rotis, and poulet for distinct, delectable dishes, Durban style.

Honolulu, Hawaii

When you come to Hawaii you can say aloha to your diet and aloha to deliciousness. Hawaiian food is a great mix of different types of cuisines thanks to all the migrants coming to this island destination. Poke is all over, which is a raw fish salad (tastes better than it sounds.)

There are also food trucks in Hawaii serving up delicious dishes that have to be tried to be believed. Also, you can’t write about Hawaiian street food without mentioning the classic, rainbow shaved ice. This frozen treat is so good you’ll be saying Mahalo for your brain freeze.

New Orleans, Louisiana

The big easy has delicious foods all over. If you’re a fan of eating at gas stations then this is the city for you. There is something called a plate lunch which is traditionally red beans and rice, served with andouille sausage and french bread, that is served at gas stations and convenience stores all over town. Plus they are getting their fair share of taco trucks and pho noodles as well so you don’t have to eat southern cuisine just to have a great meal.

Should you vacay while pregnay?

Traveling is great and if you’re pregnant then you might want to check off some bucket list destinations before that baby pops out and your travel time turns into toddler time. But should you be worried about ZIka?

Yes, you should. Traveling to places where the Zika transmission is ongoing is a risk that, in our opinion, is not worth taking. Check the CDC website for which locations are currently having a Zika outbreak, if your destination is not listed, then you’re good to go. If your location is listed, then maybe rethink your travel plans.

Looking to get knocked up? Maybe do it domestically.

If you’re planning on making a baby then maybe a destination conception isn’t the best idea. The first trimester is the worst time to get Zika and it’s an incredibly hard time because most women don’t even know they’re pregnant during that time.

If you do travel to an area with Zika then women should wait at least eight weeks and men need to wait six months before bumping uglies.

What if the type of mosquito that carries the Zika virus is where you’re traveling to but there’s no Zika, should you still be worried?

We now know what type of mosquitos carry the Zika virus, the Aedes aegypti and the Aedes albopictus (duh says all the entomologists.) These mosquitoes have been popping up in the U.S. where we have never seen them before. Does that mean they’re all carrying Zika?

No, if there is no Zika outbreak then the risk is super low. Still use common sense though, wear bug spray and don’t have a mosquito bite contest with your friends but other than that, you should be fine.

Let’s be real, what are the chances that you will get Zika?

Well, we can’t say. If you’re the type of person who has mosquito bite contests with your friends then your risk might be higher than others so it’s impossible to give an exact percentage.

What we do know, according to studies, is that five to fifteen percent of women who get Zika while pregnant actually have babies with birth defects or brain damage. So even if you catch Zika the risks are low, but they are still risks and the consequences are very real.

Is Zika planning a sequel this summer?

Zika will definitely be around this summer but most likely it will not be as big as last year. The number of infections is likely to go down this year because after you catch Zika once, you can’t catch it again. Plus a lot of people will read this very informative article which is bound to drop the number of infections even further.