Travelling in the Time of Coronavirus
The pandemic we are all experiencing calls on all of us to take extra care of ourselves both mentally and physically. In her professional role, Dr. Moondust’s skin care formulations ensure we have peace of mind in the sun-summer and winter- if we are sensitive or concerned with skin cancer precautions. In her personal life, she recently measured the risks of travel out of her home-based comfort zone with the need to get medical treatment only available farther away. Prepared with masks and plans arranged with people and places who practice safe COVID-19 protocols, she headed off and now shares her impressions.
Where did you go?
Recently, I travelled to a health clinic in Europe due to some chronic stomach problems. I’d already had a negative coronavirus test before I left.
Why did you go?
Well, if you remember there were a number of fruit and vegetable recalls by the FDA during the summer due to bacterial contamination and I got a very bad E. coli infection by eating raw salad. Unfortunately, the local hospital could not make a diagnosis, even though, I was quite ill. So, I decided to go to a German clinic where I had been successfully treated before and received heavy metal detoxification for depleted uranium after travelling to Bosnia.
What was it like to travel during the pandemic?
I had my mask handy in my carry-on bag & put it on as soon as I entered the airport.
What was it like at the airport?
There were a lot less people travelling & no long lineups.
Was Security Check any different?
No, you just breezed through because there was hardly anybody there. Same routine.
What was seating like on the plane?
Well. I flew Lufthansa & there was distancing between seats and there was even a cat travelling in a bag on our flight! So, I took a few photos – it was a nice distraction.
What was it like during the flight?
All the crew were wearing masks and so were all the passengers. We were allowed to partially remove the mask during food service & for drinks. The meal service didn’t seem to suffer much due to COVID-19 and it was pretty good.
What happened when you landed in Frankfurt?
At that point, there was no quarantine period for Canadians. So, I cleared Customs – naturally, I was wearing my mask – and noticed that a lot of the stores in the airport were closed due to declining business. There were still quite a few passengers, though, compared to Vancouver.
Then, what?
I collected my suitcase and took a prepaid taxi service booked online straight to the clinic. The driver was wearing a mask – I took mine off at this point because it was hurting my ears & opened a window instead.
What was being at the health clinic like?
The clinic was practicing good social distancing measures by admitting fewer patients and only seating 3 people at tables designed for 6 persons during mealtimes. We all had our own rooms and bathrooms and I maintained a distance of 2 meters from other patients throughout my treatment. My COVID-19 antibody test came back negative, too.
And, on the way back?
Very much the same. I took the prepaid taxi back to the airport and waited for my plane at the gate – every other seat was taped off. I even forgot to get something at the pharmacy and was able to go back without any trouble since I was so early for my flight.
What about quarantine?
At the airport in Vancouver, I was told by a Customs official that I would be required to stay at home for a two week quarantine period and it was subject to strict enforcement. So, I fulfilled my two week quarantine period at home without going out of the grounds. Luckily, there was no quarantine for Canadians travelling to Germany at that time, but, now, it has changed.
Did anything strike you as being different in Europe?
Yes. Firstly, everybody is really, really careful about masking up in public places – cafes, stores, banks. Secondly, there’s no vaping in public spaces – this is good if you think about it because vaping is a way of spreading a lot of germs around. Even if somebody is vaping in an outdoor shopping arcade or mall, they are still blowing droplets into the air space of people walking by.
Keep in touch with Dr. Moondust’s coverage of skin care this winter and Coronavirus updates on the Moondust website
Visit MoondustCosmetics.com for more news on health and lifestyle topics
