We are living through an interesting time for travel in the UK. Holiday plans are continually frustrated by the ever-present threat of coronavirus. Whether we’re weathering a new variant spike or simply attempting to navigate the school holiday periods, things are undoubtedly more difficult when it comes to travel admin. Ahead of any trips you have planned, these three tips for travelling safely can help protect your little ones.

Testing

Testing is the most important part of the travel process in times of coronavirus. However it can be a stressful experience for children no matter how much preparation you give them. Nonetheless, sitting them down to let them know what they’ll be asked to do at certain points in your journey can offset some of the difficulty involved. Research what is expected of you for your journey. If you are travelling domestically, you may simply be taking a lateral flow before you set off. Whilst for international travel you will need to order private PCR tests for your family. The NHS ones won’t be accepted as valid. Note that children under 4 are not expected to take PCR tests.

Travelling back from an international destination will require more of your family, depending on where you’re travelling from. Generally speaking, you will be required to take PCR tests 2 days before your return journey. Then again on your return, both of which require booking and organisation. You will also be expected to quarantine until the results of your UK PCR test. This can all be stressful and confusing for adults, let alone your little ones! So, draw up a plan in advance. Do make sure you understand every step of the process first, then communicate the process as clearly as possible to your kids. This can ensure your family have a smooth and safe journey.

Hygiene En-Route

Hygiene is the next important thing to stress to your little ones for travelling safely. This in order to ensure everyone is as safe as possible during your trip. Even on short domestic train journeys from Hartlepool to London, sanitation and viral protection is just as key as a long-haul flight to Australia. Keep a travel bottle of hand sanitiser on your person. This means you can sanitise everyone’s hands after any major movements, to prevent carriage of the virus from common surfaces like support handles and buttons.

Mask-wearing and children has been a point of contention between nations. But as a general rule of thumb children under 5 are not required to wear a mask. This is because they’re too young to manage it without assistance. Furthermore they could harm themselves if left unattended. Children over 12 are generally expected to wear masks just as adults do, while those in-between are at your discretion. If viral load is high or there is a large concentration of people, you might feel safer having them mask up for the journey. Again, check the rules of your destination before you travel!

Bring Distractions

Lastly (and most importantly for your sanity!), you’ll want to bring plenty of distractions to keep your children entertained. Plan this for both the journey and in any potential quarantine situation. Pandemics are a scary thing, and it’s easy to lose sight of that as an adult. So, keeping your children occupied during long stretches of travel can keep them from thinking too much about the stressful bits. Maybe distracting them from wanting to run around the terminal ahead of your trip!