I recently traveled abroad, tested negative for Coronavirus and here's everything that I kept in my PPE travel kit.
Ban.do Carryall Duo
I tend to travel with a few of these small pouches in order to compartmentalize my travel necessities in my backpack. This way, when I need to reach into my bag, I'm not fiddling around searching for something in my bag. I pack items into little pouches based on category. Once categorized, I pack the pouches into my backpack based on frequency of use during my journey. When traveling, it's so great to just take one of these little pouches to the bathroom, into a restaurant during a rest stop, etc. I find these to be extremely convenient.
Reusable Cotton Face Masks
I brought the Black Cotton Face Mask and the Lilac Cotton Face Mask from Eternal's Travel Boutique. I used these while I was at my destination, but not when traveling through the airport.
Pack of 10 Disposable Face Masks
When traveling, I wanted to use our disposable masks because they filter out a higher percentage of droplets as opposed to cotton or other types of masks. This pack of 10 disposable face masks was the perfect amount of masks for both my departure and return trip. I wanted to make sure I was changing my mask often. I put on a fresh mask on my way to the airport. Once I was through security and right before boarding my flight, I disposed of my mask and used a new one. About an hour after the first meal service on the plane and before I went to sleep, I changed my mask once again. Between the second meal service and landing, I changed my mask, again. I wanted a fresh mask while going through passport control. I wanted to be sure that I was changing my mask every 3-5 hours.
Hand Sanitizer
I carried 2 hand sanitizers with me. However, Turkish airlines provided me with a bottle in the PPE kit they handed out before boarding the plane. Therefore, I had 3 bottles of hand sanitizer. I kept one in each of my caryall pouches and one in my pocket for easy access. In addition to using hand sanitizer after touching every and anything, I was washing my hands every time I had the chance to stop at a bathroom.
Clorox Wipes
I have never been more excited to see Clorox wipes in my life. Thankfully, the airport was selling travel-sized packs of 10 Clorox wipes. I picked up a pack. Although, I should have purchased 2 packs. I used these for wiping down the trays at security, the tray table on the plane, my airplane seat, the airplane bathroom, my seat in the terminal, my luggage once I collected it from baggage claim and pretty much everywhere possible.
EPA-Approved Disinfectant Spray
I filled a travel-sized refillable spray bottle with Windex Multi-Surface Cleaner and Disinfectant Spray. At the time, a lot of EPA-Approved disinfectant products for Coronavirus were hard to come by or the prices were spiked. I purchased 2 bottles for roughly $20 on Amazon. I carried this in a pouch separate from my Clorox wipes to ensure I had a disinfecting product in any pouch I needed to grab.
10 Pairs of Gloves
Because I kew I'd be touching many surfaces and using a lot of chemical products for cleaning, I purchased this 10 pack of gloves from Amazon. I didn't wear them the entire time throughout the airport. I only wore gloves when I knew I'd need to touch a lot of different objects that others had touched or when I needed to disinfect a surface.
Nice Seats Seat Cover
Finally, I learned about Angela Aaron's amazing company, NiceSeats prior to the pandemic. Angela created NiceSeats after learning how little plane seats were washed. These seat covers are comfortable, washable, and reusable - not to mention, CUTE! They come in a variety of colors. When unfolded, the seat cover's carry pouch turns into a seat storage pocket (great for your carryall with your in-flight necessities). Goodbye seat-back pockets! Learn more about Angela and her Nice Seats story.
NOTE: Following my steps to maintain a healthy trip, are not guaranteed to protect you from Coronavirus. The above steps and protocols do not guarantee the same results for everyone. If you absolutely must travel, please refer to the following resources to ensure you are in compliance with officials' safety protocols:
1. Check the State Department's website for frequently updated travel advisories for your intended destination. If you are traveling abroad, make sure that you can legally enter that country at this time.
2. Check with your airline before booking and again before you leave for the airport. News and updates are changing frequently. Be sure that you have the latest information.
3. Check with the CDC for more information on COVID-19 and tips for staying protected.
4. Check your destination state or country for their local protocols. State-to-state and country-to-country protocols will vary.
Finally, be safe and practice social distancing, always!
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