With the virus consuming our everyday lives 24 hours, seven days a week, it is often hard to find truth in all the articles and news reports that are produced every hour of every day. Some face self-quarantine while others ponder the thought of a $27 round-trip ticket to Mexico. During this newly declared pandemic, it is important to remember that the best thing you can do for both you and your family is to stay indoors and practice “social-distancing”. 
 

If you must travel during these very dangerous times, there are ways to try and prevent the spread of the virus from family to family. Simply wearing a mask may not be enough to keep you safe from this new, deadly virus.
 

Hand sanitizer is the virus’s number one enemy. Carrying a small handheld alcohol-based hand sanitizer and properly using it is one major way to battle this disease. Using hand sanitizer before and after you eat, before and after touching surfaces, after using your phone (yes, your phone carries a lot more germs than you think!), and after coming in contact with someone who may have COVID-19, are very useful ways to try and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Killing the everyday germs you can contract by doing something as simple as touching a surface for less than a second is one of the fastest ways you can contract this virus and spread it to loved ones potentially putting them in danger. 
 

Another major factor in preventing the spread of the virus regardless of traveling is the new idea of self-quarantine. Although the thought of being isolated in your bedroom for two weeks straight seems mind-numbingly boring, keeping yourself away from others after being exposed to the potentially dangerous outdoors is one of the best ways to prevent the spread. Because the virus is now airborne, it is highly contagious just by being in the same vicinity as someone who has contracted COVID-19. This time away from society allows for your system to rid itself of the virus if you had contracted it in the first place, so you do not place others at risk by being around them if you potentially had the virus. 
 

When and if you are boarding an airplane, the best thing you can do in that situation is wipe the area down. Taking a Clorox wipe to your seat, seat back pocket, window (if you have a window seat), arm rests, TV area, and even the air dispenser above your head will help to kill the germs that lie around you in the small, congested area you have to sit in for a long period of time. Wiping down those areas before you sit also clean the areas that might have been missed prior to boarding the plane. 
 

While at this very moment it seems nearly impossible to do anything, remember, by being self-aware of the world around you and preparing yourself according to guidelines provided by the CDC, it is possible to try and prevent this virus from affecting you. If travel is necessary, and you must return home from that already paid for spring break trip or even home for out-of-state and international students, taking extreme precautions beforehand such as using hand sanitizer, wipes, face masks if you feel symptomatic, and the social distancing method is the only way at this very moment the world knows how to deal with this current pandemic. If you or a loved one feels symptomatic, remember, call your healthcare provider or local hospital prior to your visit so they have time to prepare for you to come in and stay safe during these troubling times.