Although most people have opted to play it safe and not travel during the holidays, there are still those who will board planes or take a road trip—whether for work, emergencies, or just because they want to be with their families before the year ends.
If you’ve got plans to travel this month, here’s everything you need to make sure your trip is as safe and hassle-free as possible.
The basics
Are your gifts and other travel essentials packed and ready to go? Good, because the next thing you need to prepare are all the documents to prove that you’re well enough to travel home for the holidays. Make sure you’ve secured a travel authority and valid government-issued IDs, as well as the documents your destination’s LGU might look for.
Before you head out, please make sure you’re wearing a face mask and face shield, and that you have travel-sized bottles of alcohol or hand sanitizer.
Where to get tested
After packing your bags, the next thing you need to secure is a negative swab test. By now, there’s a good chance you can get tested at a hospital near you, so all you need to do is read up on what you’ll need to prepare for it and how long you might need to wait to get your results.
If getting tested at a hospital isn’t an option, there are LGUs offering free swab tests. Just make sure you get a reservation and take all the self-assessment tests you need as soon as possible.
If you need to travel outside Metro Manila…
We don’t really recommend traveling out-of-town, but if you must: Make sure you’re prepared with your medical certificates, confirmed accommodations and registered to your destination’s contact tracing apps.
And (we can’t believe this has to be said) please don’t fake your COVID-19 test results! These safety protocols and measures are there to keep you and the people you’re visiting safe.
Header photo by Lyn Rillon for Inquirer.net
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Writer: ANGELA PATRICIA SUACILLO
