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Female traveler at airport with mask

Press announcement

Top Tips for Staying Safe During Festive Travel

Ribbon

As we move into the festive period, many people have made plans to travel and visit friends and families. Although some COVID-19-related global travel restrictions have eased over the last year, new ones continue to emerge, particularly with the recent emergence of the new COVID-19 Omicron variant. People travelling during this period should always carefully consider the risks involved, accounting for the ongoing impact of COVID-19. Along with COVID-19, perennial security risks are also a growing concern; the resumption of international travel means criminal activity such as petty theft and terrorism is now on the rise.

Dr Kathrine O’Reilly, Medical Director at International SOS comments,

With many restrictions still in place last year, people will be particularly looking forward to travelling and seeing their families this Christmas. A Christmas getaway could help people relax and allow them some much needed mental recuperation, after another year disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is, however, vital that employers continue to share up-to-date advice to help their employees safely enjoy the festive period. Don’t overlook the simple measures that decrease COVID-19 risk – masks, social distancing, hand washing, and avoiding crowds – don’t drop your guard over the holiday period.

Female traveler at airport with mask

Top Tips for Safe Festive Travel

  • Get vaccinated against COVID-19 - as soon as you are eligible and have your booster when offered. An annual flu jab will help protect you from circulating influenza viruses. Don’t forget to wear masks wherever required, avoid large crowds if you can, social distance whenever possible and keep washing your hands.
  • Maintain flexible itineraries – It is good practice to keep departure and return times/routes as flexible as possible. Contingency plans are more important than ever, as travel restrictions may be imposed at short notice or you may need to self-isolate.
  • Stay on top of the latest Travel Restrictions – It is important to check which specific restrictions may impact you, particularly as this can vary based on vaccination status and nationality. Understand if pre- or post-departure COVID-19 tests are necessary, if there are any self-isolation or mask requirements or whether you have to download a digital health pass to verify your vaccination status.
  • Timing is everything – Build in additional travel time to reach your destination due to additional and changing travel requirements and procedures. For international travel, there might be new forms to complete or extra health checks. It is also likely that transit hubs and roads will be more congested due to the increased volume in travel during the festive season.
  • Be Crowd Safe – When we travel, we can frequently encounter queues and crowds. This is often the case as passengers have to go through additional COVID-19 checks. Once at your destination, you may also experience large crowds at festive events like markets or religious services. It is important to be crowd safe: stay vigilant, keep valuables secure or out of sight, also identify your closest points of exit and abide by local directives, if an incident does occur.
  • Eat, drink and be jolly informed – With numerous restrictions still in place, the key to travelling successfully this holiday season is to keep informed of the most up-to-date information and any emerging developments. This is particularly important for international travel, as restrictions still vary greatly from country to country and can be imposed with little notice.

For up-to-date insights on the pandemic visit www.internationalsos.com.


For further information, please contact:

Sam Burgess, Sermelo
M: +44 (0)7753 107 953
E: sam.burgess@sermelo.com

About the International SOS Group of Companies
The International SOS Group of Companies is in the business of saving lives, protecting your global workforce from health and security threats. Wherever you are, we deliver customised health, security risk management and wellbeing solutions to fuel your growth and productivity. In the event of extreme weather, an epidemic or a security incident, we provide an immediate response providing peace of mind. Our innovative technology and medical and security expertise focus on prevention, offering real-time, actionable insights and on-the-ground quality delivery. We help protect your people, your organisation's reputation, as well as support your compliance reporting needs. By partnering with us, organisations can fulfil their Duty of Care responsibilities, while empowering business resilience, continuity and sustainability.

Founded in 1985, the International SOS Group, headquartered in London & Singapore, is trusted by more than 9,000 organisations, including the majority of the Fortune 500, as well as mid-size enterprises, governments, educational institutions and NGOs. 13,000 multicultural medical, security and logistics experts stand with you to provide support & assistance from over 1,200 locations in 90 countries, 24/7, 365 days.

To protect your workforce, we are at your fingertips: www.internationalsos.com