Keeping safe during your travels
Here is some information to help keep you safe when travelling overseas
during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Before travelling
·
Get vaccinated for COVID-19 if you are within the eligible age group.
· Ensure you are in
good general health and have the necessary prescriptions, certificates,
vaccinations, and supply of medications for your trip.
· Be informed: Check
the safety information, entry requirements, public health measures and
guidelines of your destination and transit countries by checking with
reputable sources such as World Health Organization website
(https://www.who.int/) and/or Re-open EU website (https://reopen.europa.eu/en), your travel agent, or an official website in your
destination country.
·
When selecting
accommodation, choose a location which is not in a busy area but close
enough to landmarks/places of interest to reduce your reliance on public
transport.
· Check with your
airline regarding COVID-19 mitigation measures, procedures, luggage policy,
seating arrangements and also what protective face covering is expected
during your trip.
· Consider
purchasing travel insurance cover for your trip. Check what level of cover
your policy includes particularly in relation to possible flight
cancellations and the extent of COVID-related health care coverage.
·
Always remember to
carry a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for each member of your
household when travelling to a European country.
· Ensure you have
the necessary documents (valid passport, visa etc.) and essentials
(including sufficient masks and sanitiser for your trip).
· Complete your
health/travel declaration and passenger locator forms where applicable and
check up-to-date travel health recommendations for your destination.
IMPORTANT:
ü
Travelling
increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19.
ü If you are an older traveller or have underlying health
problems, you should be aware that if you are infected with COVID-19 you
could be at increased risk of severe infection.
ü Being fully vaccinated
substantially reduces the risk of the two points above, so it is highly
recommended to be fully vaccinated before.
ü DO NOT TRAVEL if you have any of the following symptoms
prior to travelling or when you are due to return to Malta: fever, cough,
shortness of breath, tiredness, sore throat, runny/blocked nose, headache,
muscle pain, loss of smell, loss of taste, diarrhoea or vomiting.
General recommendations
· Respiratory
etiquette - cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or the inner side of
your flexed elbow when coughing or sneezing (if no tissue is available) and
dispose of tissue in a closed, lined bin immediately.
·
Avoid touching
your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands - since your hands may easily
get contaminated with viruses by touching infected surfaces, do not touch
your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
·
Sanitise your
hands often.
·
Wear your mask/visor
at all times.
·
Keep a distance of
2 metres from other individuals who are not members of your household.
·
Avoid crowded
places.
At the airport/port
·
Make sure you
arrive at the airport/ferry terminal at least 2 hours prior to the
scheduled departure time.
·
Ensure that you
always follow floor signage and markings to maintain a safe physical
distance from other individuals who are not travelling with you.
·
Frequent use of
hand alcohol sanitizing stations throughout the terminals is recommended.
During your travels
·
When reclaiming
your baggage, sanitise the handles of your luggage or trolley that you may
have just received and avoid spending unnecessary time at the arrival
terminal.
·
It is recommended
that you wipe down your luggage with an alcohol-containing wipe or a damp
cloth soaked in soap and water on arrival at your accommodation.
·
Be aware that
outdoor activities pose a lower risk of getting coronavirus compared to
indoor activities.
·
Online purchase
and payment of tickets to tourist sites is encouraged to avoid queuing and
handling cash.
·
Contactless methods
of payment should otherwise be favoured. In the absence of this, you should
wash or sanitise your hands after handling cash.
·
Avoid unnecessary
visits to live animal markets, wet markets, or animal product markets; if
you do so, you should practice general hygiene measures, including regular
hand washing with soap and water after touching animals and animal
products, avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth with hands, and avoiding
contact with sick animals, spoiled animal products or any live animals at
the market.
If you are informed that you have come into close
contact with a positive case of COVID-19, follow the advice of the Public
Health Authorities of the country you are visiting. If in doubt, you may also
wish to call the Public Health Helpline in Malta on 111 (or +35621324086 if
calling from a non-Maltese line).
If you develop symptoms suggestive of COVID-19
during your travel:
·
Stay indoors and
avoid contact with other people.
·
Call your health
provider, public health authorities and/or insurance company for advice.
·
Seek and follow
local public health guidance.
·
If you become
unwell at an airport, bus or train station before or during a long trip,
seek medical advice immediately and do not start or continue your journey.
·
For more detailed
guidance, read our leaflet with advice for outgoing travellers here: https://deputyprimeminister.gov.mt/en/health-promotion/covid-19/Documents/resources/Travelling_Out_Of_Malta_How_To_Stay_Safe_When_Travelling_Abroad.pdf
COVID Alert Malta
COVID Alert Malta is the Government of Malta’s official COVID-19 contact
tracing app. If you are travelling to a country with a contact tracing app that
is interoperable with COVID Alert Malta (see this list), it will communicate automatically
with the other country’s app. In this case, you will only need to
download, install and switch to the contact tracing app of the destination
country if you are found COVID-positive in that country and you are given a
code to enter into the app.
On the other hand, if you travel to a country not mentioned in the above
list, we highly recommend that you download the contact tracing app of the
destination country for your added safety and protection.
For further details on COVID Alert Malta, please go to https://covidalert.gov.mt
Useful Resources:
1. https://www.maltairport.com/
2. http://www.virtuferries.com/
3. https://reopen.europa.eu/en
4. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/travel-advice
For further info,
contact covid19.health@gov.mt
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