I recently wrote about my experience with health anxiety and how I’m struggling during the coronavirus aka COVID-19 outbreak.
I guess I’m becoming one of those people that isn’t going to stop talking about the coronavirus anytime soon. Sorry, it’s all over our Twitter timelines, it might as well enter the pages of my blog too. Full disclosure, I am not a medical profession or an expert in any sort of travel containment situation. If you’re looking for official information, please find it here from the World Health Organisation. I’m simply sharing my experience of what it was like to travel right now during a pandemic. Yikes.
And I thought it would be helpful to share my experiences traveling from the United Kingdom to America recently in the midst of this global outbreak. As well as including travel within America itself.
I had actually started writing this post a few days ago. And now, as of 12 March 2020, the United States has suspended flights from Europe for 30 days. The United States is still allowing flights to come from the United Kingdom at the moment, so this post will be relevant for anyone coming stateside or perhaps traveling from America to the UK.
So here’s our travel itinerary that I’ll be discussing: We flew from London Gatwick to Orlando, Florida. And then a few days later flew from Florida to New York.
Here’s a rundown of our experience and some of my thoughts during our travels:
London, United Kingdom:
We flew with British Airways. And we were asked at check in if we’d been to any of the recently effected areas: China, Italy, and Iran. While we have not been, though interestingly, no one asks if you’ve been in contact with anyone who has recently come from those areas.
At our time of travel, the week commencing the 3rd of March, there were no temperature checks that we experienced en route over to America.
The airport itself seemed like business as usual. I always find Gatwick airport to be quite crowded and it felt completely normal in terms of crowds and flights. In fact, if we didn’t all know there was a potential pandemic to come, it would have just been a regular old Tuesday.
Anyways, the only slight noticeable thing. Masks. People are wearing more masks than usual. Full disclosure, I totally bought us masks but we didn’t end up wearing them given recent advice in the news saying we’d probably wear them incorrectly anyways. So people are wearing masks but it’s not like every other person was, just a few here and there. In any event, I have the masks for if we become sick at all and are around people, which is apparently, the right thing to do with masks.
Also, you’d think that travel/basic hygiene etiquette would be more present at this time. But nope, people cough without covering their mouths and sneeze openly into the air. People are sometimes, super gross.
I am also noticing coughing more than I would if there wasn’t an outbreak right now. But perhaps not. I’m a bit of a germaphobe at the best of times, so if anybody ever coughs near me, I beeline away from them. Maybe that’s rude of me, but whatever. If you cough near me, I’m out.
So vaguely normal experiences within the terminal at the airport. Boarding the plane, we were asked again as we went through that additional security check before getting onto the plane again if we’d been to any of those locations, China, Iran and Italy. Again, no, so we were allowed on the plane.
Something I never do, but probably should have been doing for years… I took disinfectant wipes on the plane and wiped down our seats and tray tables as much as I could around us. I felt a little weird but after sharing it on my Instagram stories, I’ve had plenty of feedback that a lot of you do this on flights normally. It’s something I think I’m going to start doing when I travel on planes and trains from here on out. Just good hygiene practice really.
Again, loads of coughing happening on the plane so we weren’t feeling great about that. But you’re kind of stuck in your seat for 9 and a half hours, so what can you do. My more pressing concerns for the flight was the fact that it was like an actual nursery and each baby seemingly tag teamed the other in for a good cry. So no, we didn’t sleep on the flight, thanks for asking.
PS. I get that people travel with kids and all the parents on the flight were great. Kids cry, it’s cool, but oh my gosh, we felt tired for the parents.
Orlando, USA:
When we landed in the states there weren’t any additional passport checks asking if we’d been to any recently affected areas. I’m not sure if this is because all flights need to ask you already before boarding. But no one asked as we went through passport control. They did, however, ask as per usual, where we were coming from. London. So I supposed if we’d been to a few other places in between maybe that would be the time to say so.
But we haven’t been anywhere else, so just the United Kingdom was our answer.
Rented a car, which you know, I suppose also poses a risk of infection so here we are. Flying, renting a car, it’s all a bit stressful knowing that everywhere you go could be a potential way to contract a virus. Wonderful.
Fast forward through to… Visiting Universal Studios Orlando!
We spent the next few days at Universal Studios theme park. I didn’t notice any additional health procedures in place. Perhaps there will be in the future and especially now as flights are stopped from Europe.
But for good measure, we had plenty of hand sanitizer. And washed our hands after each ride we went on or when we touched anything. Maybe it was a bit extreme from us, but when you suffer from health anxiety, you go extreme.
Interestingly, when you enter the park you have to touch your finger to a scanner. Assuming this is so you can’t just let anyone else use your ticket. But also that means thousands of people touch that scanner all day. Again, hand washing and sanitizer are your friends. I’m wondering if in the coming weeks they will shut the parks temporarily. I haven’t heard anything on this yet.
Anyways, we spent the day at the park. We went on two rides total and then to the pool and again out for dinner. I am WAY more into just walking around and ogling at the Harry Potter parks.
The next few days were spent on the other side of Florida at my grandma’s place before our next round of travels. The thing is, when you’re on vacation, you’re out to eat, you’re out and about. I wash my hands ever so regularly. But in reality, unless you’re sitting at home there is a very real risk that you could catch something.
I’m trying to remain optimistic (the sunshine kind of helped with that whole mood lifting thing).
Tampa, USA:
On our next flight a few days later leaving from Tampa airport we weren’t asked any questions about recent whereabouts. I did overhear a woman coughing saying that she had booked a doctors appointment for when she gets home tomorrow. She was in the same train carriages as us from the rental car return to the airport. So that’s fun to hear…!
Business as usual at the airport. I am already a nervous traveler so consumed many wines.
Once we were on the plane, I did the same cleaning process again. Cleaning our tray tables, seats and hand rests. The flight attendants came around with rubbish bags before take off and asked for anyone who used them to throw away our wipes. So a lot of people seem to be doing this now which I found interesting (and good)!
Domestic flights don’t require any sort of additional checks when you land so nothing there either.
Landed in Buffalo, New York. We’re here for the next two weeks spending time with family. As well as doing various paperwork things so time will tell if travel changes in between then.
Notes: At this time, travel continues to go ahead (domestic stateside and in the United Kingdom). We feel OK right now. I’m a little worn down which is usual for me when traveling and expected. Our schedules when we travel are pretty exhausting. So considering the amount of things we’ve had scheduled, I’m looking forward to a few weeks of relaxing now with plenty of sleep!
So all in all, travel seems to be business as usual. At least from the countries and places that are still flying in and out of. I suppose it’s hard to say or guarantee that you don’t have something. Because it can come from anywhere and everywhere.
If you feel comfortable traveling, please do! In all honesty, I probably wouldn’t have travelled right now. Not because it felt unsafe, but I do suffer from health anxiety and it makes me feel worried constantly.
We had to travel because of legal paperwork. Unfortunately we literally had to be on United States soil for. So that made our decision for us.
So make sure you keep washing your hands and taking precautions. Note that as of right now, many airlines are now waiving change fees. They have also ramped upped their cleaning procedures which is also great news too.
PS: I’ll update this post when we fly back to the United Kingdom. We fly back in a few weeks time when this information/experience may change slightly.
Stay safe!
Kelly x