Planning a family trip during COVID-19 is not without risks. Experts advise against making family trips during the pandemic. However, when planning such trips, great care has to be taken, especially with kids and senior citizens usually with low immunity levels around, to avoid direct exposure to infection.  Here is how one can plan a family trip safely and enjoy the happy moments in nine essential steps.

• Check with the local laws first if you need to travel within the country or the law of the land regarding COVID-19 if you wish to travel abroad. Avoid travelling overseas as much as possible as several European and Asian countries are facing a second wave of pandemic, and consequently forced lockdowns to prevent public movement.
• Talk to your doctor regarding your family’s health and determine risk factors if any. Elderly people should talk to specialists if they’re suffering from diabetes, hypertension or blood pressure.  It is important to get a clearance letter from the doctor before travel to avoid health complications.  
• It’s important to understand the health risk profiles of individual members in a family before travel, and it is always a recommended practise to share the details with the family in the case of an emergency for preparedness.
• Avoid travelling to COVID-19 hotspots to avoid maximum exposure of infection. It is recommended to talk to your travel agency and get the ground details of COVID-19 of a particular touring destination including staying in quarantine, lockdown restrictions (if any), and the general rules and regulations of pandemic relief programs that apply in the region.
• Avoid over-crowed hotels and restaurants; check for a remote hotel to avoid mixing with other teams or hotel guests. Use touchless operation wherever required including contactless check-in.
• It is safe to travel in a car or cab to cover short distances than to travel by train or take a flight. As flight bookings are marked by uncertain timeliness, it is pertinent to check the booking and cancellation policies to avoid disappointments and save on unnecessary costs.
• Don’t forget to carry COVID-19 essentials such as hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, face masks, a thermometer, gloves, hand soap and health insurance cards.
• Plan only for outdoor activities.  This is because visiting public places (not all follow safety protocols) can put you at greater risk of infection.
• And finally, it is important to keep your kids completely safe during the travel by educating them on pandemic guidelines during the tour.