Covid 19 pandemic has affected everyone in the world. The disease is novel and much is still not known about it. Focus is now placed on people surviving the outbreak with a variety of containment measures being put in place by governments. The travel industry has been adversely affected with many people shelving their travel plans due to uncertainty, lockdowns, closed borders and cessation of air travel.
Lately governments have been easing the covid 19 containment measures enabling travelling within countries and across borders. Most airlines have resumed air travel and corona virus vaccines are now being administered in most countries. These positive measures have made travelers eager to hit the road again and resume with their holiday plans which were rudely interrupted by the pandemic. It is the nature for a human being to explore and experience something unfamiliar and gain new knowledge hence the urge to always want to travel. Research done by some organizations like WTTC indicate that tourism is resilient and picking up. Tour operators are experiencing increased inquiries from tourists who want to travel.
At the moment, all indications are that the covid 19 is here to stay and people should adapt to living with it. Travelers are also learning to cope with the disease and have a lot of expectations on what is being done to protect and also shield them from uncertainty.
COVID 19 CONTAINMENT MEASURES IN KENYA
Currently, it is a requirement that all travelers coming into Kenya should have a Covid free certificate with the PCR test done within 96 hrs of flying.
Travelers arriving from some specific countries are exempt from the 14 days quarantine by the government of Kenya but must still be in possession of a negative Covid free certificate. More information can be obtained from Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Website.
The below practices and recommendations have been ongoing;
Wearing a face mask is a requirement when in public. Anyone who disregards this rule will be arrested by the police and taken to court.
It is now a custom that temperature checks are conducted when entering public facilities like malls and hotels. Sanitizers are also provided.
Regular updates regarding the corona virus situation are provided by the Kenyan government on National TV stations.
Social distancing is encouraged and where possible, people are told to work from home.
Contactless transactions and interactions are being promoted. It is possible to make payments using credit cards in any outlet which includes curio shops and supermarkets. It is also advisable to send or receive documents online and avoid hard copies.
Most of the travel agencies provide flexible booking terms and conditions. This ensures that travelers do not lose their payments in case they are not able to travel in this uncertain terms.
Travelers also require up to date information regarding various protocols by different countries regarding the corona virus. Kenya has availed all the needed information through organizations like ministry of health and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. It is also important for travelers to get information about the countries they are travelling through as they usually have requirements regarding the coronavirus. Information and requirements keeps on changing and it Is not surprising to encounter a lockdown or closed borders when someone is in the middle of travel.
Regardless of all these containment measures, Covid 19 still remains lethal and individual effort is also needed to contain the disease. Experts suggest that the virus will remain troublesome until the day world population will have herd immunity. It is therefore paramount that everybody exercise utmost care when it comes to corona virus and practice all the guidelines put in place.
Stephen