How To Travel Safe With Kids Post Lockdown

In a densely populated nation like India, traveling by bus will be one of the most cost-friendly and safe ways to travel post-COVID lockdown. As India enters Lockdown 5.0, or ‘Unlock 1.0’ as many call it, travel restrictions have been lifted. However, it’s likely for people to be worried about their safety while traveling, especially parents, who would be anxious for ensuring safe travel for kids. Bearing in mind that every bus operator has different conditions when it comes to traveling with children, one must research well before finally heading off to a destination. The following are some useful tips on how to travel safely with kids post lockdown while traveling by bus!

• Always consider booking a direct bus while traveling with kids. A direct bus saves you from a lot of hustle and an unclean environment outside and facing the crowd.
• Features like Safety+ by redBus have buses with sanitizers to ensure safety and hygiene even while traveling. However, since children can’t master hygiene on their own, it is recommended that you carry your sanitizer and disinfectant wipes to keep your kids’ hands always clean.
• Wearing masks is mandatory for everyone in public transport. If you have a toddler, you can take care that their nose and mouth are covered. For older kids, you can teach them how to use a mask and its importance before traveling.
• Choose sanitized and deep cleaned mode of transportation. To prevent the spread of Coronavirus, buses with Safety+ feature go through deep cleaning and sanitization after every trip. Check if your bus has the same feature before booking a ticket for your kids.
• Younger kids are like magnets for germs. They can touch anything and everything and then put their hands in their mouth. Hence, it’s essential to clean and disinfect their toys, clothes, and anything they need before traveling.
• Carry a wide variety of snacks. You can’t trust every eatery for hygienic food. Keeping a good amount of your tried and trusted snacks would be a good idea for hygiene and food safety. When you’re traveling on a bus with babies, you’re going to need a lot of snacks that they may like.
• In addition to snacks, you should also carry adequate water from home. While traveling with kids, it’s better not to rely upon outside water since contaminated water can lead to several water-borne diseases. In case of emergency, always go for packaged drinking water.
• Make sure that kids do not touch any foreign surface while playing inside the bus. You can consider taking a few interactive games to keep them engaged throughout the trip and prevent them from touching any surface.
• While most of the buses after COVID lockdown would come with lesser occupancy, it would be better to book an adjacent seat for your kid so that your child can have more space, and it would be easier to follow social distancing norms.
• If your newborn or toddler has any issue associated with the upper or lower respiratory system or any kind of heart or lung problem, you must consult your pediatrician before booking bus tickets for traveling.

COVID-19 has left a life-long impact on all our facets of life. On the other hand, public transportation usage is unavoidable even in the post-lockdown period. When you’re traveling with kids, it comes with a lot of concerns and a huge responsibility. So, as you travel with kids, you must be their safety coordinator and a role model for following preventive measures. Since this is a ‘novel’ crisis, we have to come up with solutions to ensure safe travel and good hygiene for family and kids. redBus wishes you a happy and hygienic travel experience post-lockdown!