Summer Travels during a Pandemic – Essentials to Stay Healthy

Published on Tue Jul 7, 2020 - 3 min read

Published by: Bryan Bradford

‘Safecations’ and safe travels during coronavirus
Kick the isolation blues to the curb and hit the road with our safe traveling tips.
Here at the Sunflower Shoppe, we feel that travel is largely a force for good – especially if you can do it safely. Vacations and traveling help us recharge not only ourselves but our communities and economies that have been harshly impacted by the pandemic shutdowns. As hotels, restaurants, parks, and beaches being to reopen, we know that millions are waiting to travel again. As we contemplate venturing out, we must do it in a way that ensures the safety of ourselves and our communities without inciting the dreaded “second wave” of the pandemic.
We don’t just want to travel; we need to travel for our mental and physical health. Some experts are predicting the shutdowns themselves will cost more lives than the pandemic as isolation stresses and depression are already at record levels.1 When it comes to traveling, the question becomes not whether, when, or where, but how. The prospect of safe travels may seem like a distant memory with a tenuous future, but as always, the anecdote to FOGO (Fear of Going Out), is knowledge. Please use our safe travels guide to have peace of mind as you begin planning vacations and travels again.
The Basics: During a pandemic going to the grocery store much less traveling to another city or country requires new protocols. The good news is that what works at home, works abroad. Stick to the basics we’ve all learned:2
1. Stay 6 feet or further away from those whom you do not live with.
2. Avoid touching your face, especially areas around your mouth and eyes.
3. Wash hands and face diligently with soap and water.
4. Bring extra sanitizer. Sanitize phones, door handles, all keypads, and any frequently touched surfaces, including seats, armrests, and headrests. Assume nothing is clean.
5. Avoid people who are coughing or appear sick and do not travel if you are feeling unwell.
Sanitize! Hand sanitizer can be hard to find on the road. Here is our recipe so you can bring your own: 1 cup of 91% isopropyl alcohol, ½ cup aloe vera gel, 15 drops of essential oils. Add your favorite smelling essential oils along with our 5-Shield Blend, which has excellent anti-microbial properties.3
Become Invincible: The power of invincibility is not in avoiding attacks but withstanding them without harm. Keeping our immune systems in top shape is our best defense and, therefore, the safest practice of all. The following supplements have been used successfully in coronavirus protocols:
1. Vitamin D3 status is a key critical predictor of coronavirus mortality. In multiple studies, those with adequate vitamin d status were up to 10 times less likely to die.4 Recommended doses are up to 5,000 IU daily.
2. Vitamin C reduces hospital stays and halts disease severity in influenza in several studies.5 Several studies are underway to evaluate vitamin c for COVID-19 as it prevents cytokine storms and is lung protective. Take 500mg twice daily of pure ascorbic acid for prevention and up to 12,000 mg daily during symptoms.6
3. Zinc helps fight COVID-19 progression via several mechanisms, including stopping viral replication, preventing viral entry into cells, and balancing immune system responses.7,8 Studied doses are up to 75mg daily for two weeks.9
4. Melatonin is a master regulator of our immune system, and studies show it is critical in preventing typically mild coronavirus infections from progressing to the more severe COVID-19.10 Doses for the symptomatic are 5 to 10mg at bedtime for two weeks.11
Look for wide open, outside spaces: Save the extrovert exhibitions for another time; avoid theme parks, bars, clubs, and other crowded indoor areas. Now is when we should choose open destinations where we can maintain our 6-foot distancing. Parks and campgrounds are better options and are immune-boosting in their own right as are pools and beaches as long as distances are preserved.12 Choose activities that include lots of sunlight as recent reports suggest 34 minutes of sunshine is enough to kill the coronavirus.13
Make high standards your standard: No matter where you travel to make sure they are taking the pandemic seriously. Look for contact-less check-ins and outs, well-trained staff, mask requirements, readily available hand sanitizer, and enhanced cleaning practices. While on the road, avoid poorly ventilated gas station bathrooms, utilize curbside options at restaurants, and eat outdoors.14,15
Whether you’re traveling around the block, across town, or to an exotic location, we hope we’ve given you the knowledge and tools to do it the safest way possible. Safe travels and Godspeed from all of us here at the Sunflower Shoppe.
[References]
1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/05/04/mental-health-coronavirus/
2. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-in-the-us.html
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5206475/
4. https://emerginnova.com/patterns-of-covid19-mortality-and-vitamin-d-an-indonesian-study/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6521194/
6. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04264533
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7247509/
8. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.02.20080036v1
9. https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/ijmm.2020.4575/download
10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0024320520303313
11. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04409522
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2793341/
13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32502327/
14. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/public-bathrooms-carry-coronavirus-risks-heres-how-to-be-careful
15. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-safe-travel-advice/art-20486965