If you are preparing for a trip later in the year, make sure that you have a good think about what travelling in 2021 will entail. Covid-19 is still all around us and although there is a roadmap to restriction easing in the UK, this may not be as transparent in other countries. There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel, but precautions should be taken to make sure you do not get your hopes up and then have to reschedule or cancel your plans.
With this in mind, here are some of the things that you will need to consider when preparing for a trip in 2021.
disclosure: this is a partnered post
Travel Insurance
Even without the Covid-19 issues around us, travel insurance is something that is highly recommended (and sometimes mandated) when preparing for a trip. Imagine going to another country and having an illness and not being able to be seen or treated by a doctor. Not only could this impact the illness or issue you need help with but the anxiety and stress around this would be immense.
Not all countries are like the UK where we have the NHS which is free at the point of use. To best combat this, it is important that people have the correct level of travel insurance for their trip. The level of insurance you get is completely up to you but companies such as Staysure will offer all types which would include medical, legal, loss of items and Covid-19 cover. Make sure you do not rush into this and get the cheapest quote. You want to make sure that the quote you get is effective and covers all of these items. Generally, these insurance policies are not expensive and are a great relief in terms of stress.
Covid-19 Vaccination
Although there is still a lot of uncertainty around the right to travel to different countries, it is very likely that you will be required to have received a Covid-19 vaccination for non-essential travel to some areas. The UK is doing great things in terms of their vaccination rollout and they are well ahead of most other developed countries, even to the extent they are donating vaccines to other less developed countries like Africa and India. However, there is no way to push yourself up the waiting list for the vaccination and you need to be patient whilst the priority groups are worked through systematically.
By the end of the summer, the target is to have all people over the age of 18 vaccinated. There has also been some talk about developing a Covid-19 passport. This passport will give evidence that you have had a vaccine, when you had the vaccine and what type. Nothing has been confirmed around this yet and it is still something that governments around the world are considering. However, it is something you need to give thought to before preparing for a trip this year.
Work Approval
Depending on where you work, some companies may not allow you to travel to other countries for non-essential travel. This is all connected to Covid-19 and their determination to reduce any risk of it spreading within the workplace. Therefore, it is important that before making your travel plans, that you discuss this with your own workplace and gain any approvals or similar required. Travelling without notifying your place of work could end up meaning you lose your job (as you could also be required to quarantine for making the trip) and therefore not being able to attend work.
In Closing …
These are just some of the things that you will need to consider when preparing for a trip in 2021. Unfortunately, a lot of this is dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the ever changing landscape. However, hopefully in 2022, it will be a very different year for all the citizens of the world.