Hotel Stays and Travels (by car) in the time of COVID - Strategies

For the last many months, I’ve been renting a car and visiting scenic (and peaceful) locales within two hours of my home in New York City. That mostly meant small towns and villages in Connecticut and New York’s Hudson Valley. Here are some of the strategies I used in the time of COVID to deal with the car rental and the accommodations.

Here’s the COVID kit I pack for the trip:

— Clorox wipes

— DIY bleach disinfectant: two tablespoons of bleach to one quart of water in a spray bottle

— paper towels

— two-ply face masks and three-ply surgical masks

— polypropylene face mask filters

— goggles

— alcohol swabs

— alcohol-based hand sanitizer

— a bottle of 70% alcohol

— latex-free gloves

— detergent to wash face masks and washable polypropylene filters

Strategies with the Car Rental:

— Rent at a small location, not an airport. 

— I rent mid-week, hoping it’s less busy than a weekend

— All transactions are done outdoors

— Even though the car has been cleaned/disinfected, I disinfect all contact surfaces myself with bleach

— I keep the windows open for the first hour of the journey to allow for fresh airflow

— I choose a destination that’s short — more than 2-3 hours or from home — so there are no need for bathroom breaks

Strategies with the Accommodation:

— I choose only small hotels/inns where I can speak with the person in charge — preferably the owner — and directly assess their COVID consciousness

— I assess their COVID strategies for disinfecting and cleaning, as well as whether the staff (and guests) must wear masks over their nose and mouth 100% of the time in public places

— I ask them when was my room last occupied by a guest. I prefer a room that was unoccupied for a minimum of 24 hours. 

—  I request that they leave at least one window open for fresh air

— I choose a room that doesn’t require navigating through the building to get to my door, preferably a room in the rear of the accommodation with a separate entrance.

— I ask if I can eat in the room or, if it’s good weather, if there is a place outdoors to eat where I will not have to interact with other guests. After all, I’ll be getting take-out meals only. (I don’t eat indoors nor do I eat meals at outdoor venues near other patrons.)

— Check-in is best done contactless

— I request that no one enter my room during my stay, in other words, no room service

— if they serve breakfast, I ask if it can be delivered outside my door

— Once I’m in my room, I disinfect all contact surfaces with bleach

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Protecting Myself From Coronavirus

Many people are asking me what I’m doing during this

coronavirus pandemic. I’m certainly overly cautious,

especially given my background in microbiology, physiology

and epidemiology. Now, in New York City, we have to social-distance, and notgo out of the house, except for necessities. Given that I live in a distant NYC suburb without a car, I have to venture out on foot to buy groceries. Here’s 
what I do.

Whenever I have access to soap and water, I thoroughly

wash all the surfaces of my hands.

I carry Purell in my pocket and use it liberally when soap and

water is not available.

I don’t touch my hands to my mouth, eyes or nose.

I also carry Lysol wipes and use this on any surface I will be

touching.

I don’t get within six feet of anyone. 

Whenever I have to open a door or touch a handrail, I do

so with a Lysol wipe in my hand or I wear one cloth glove.

But the glove, of course, becomes contaminated and, once

I get home, I disinfect it by rinsing in chlorine. (I don’t let

the glove touch my bare hands or anything else I will be

touching.)

I use a diluted solution of alcohol on my iPhone if it was

somehow set on a surface that I neglected to wipe down with Lysol.

While I’ve seen people reusing N-95 masks or surgical masks

-- the latter are not effective against the coronovirus -- most

are single-use masks and are not to be reused. In addition,

if you are wearing a mask and you take it off, you have to properly

clean your hands that touched the mask.

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Dispelling Myths on Coronavirus

I've been traveling recently. And, whether I was on NJ Transit to Newark Airport or catching up with friends and colleagues on Facebook, I sadly have been confronted with a lack of understanding of science and infectious disease, in this case the coronavirus epidemic (pandemic). Here are some of the myths and facts related to the coronavirus outbreak:

Myth: If you got a flu shot and maybe the pneumonia vaccine, you're ok.

Fact: Not true. Though getting both the flu and pneumonia vaccines (if you are over 65) would reduce the likelihood of you getting either disease that would compound your problems, they do not protect you from the coronavirus.

Myth: Scientists will have a coronavirus vaccine in a couple of months.

Fact: Not true. The development of a vaccine that will be used in humans requires a number of steps that require clinical trials, first with a small number of subjects and then with a much larger sample size. That being said, it's likely we will not see a vaccine for at least a year or more.

Myth: Only old people get sick from the coronavirus.

Fact: Though we are not seeing very young children getting sick, one of the early cases of coronavirus on the west coast was a teenager. And now there are reports that large percentages (almost 40%) of hospitalized cases in the U.S. are in ages 20s to 50s. Though most of the deaths have been among older people. Anyone can get sick with the coronavirus, though most everyone will have mild symptoms. But anyone who is immunocompromised or has an underlying health condition (such as diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or cardiac disease) -- especially if they are older -- has an increased risk of a more serious illness.

Myth: Coronavirus doesn't stay on surfaces for very long so there's no worries about touching a surface that hasn't been in use for awhile.

Fact: It's believed that the coronavirus can remain viable on surfaces for several hours up to a few days. But it depends on the surface and the amount of virus. For example, the virus may remain viable longer on metal than cloth surface. If you think a surface may be contaminated, use a disinfectant cloth (such as Lysol) to wipe it down and, of course, wash your hands with soap and water, or, if it's not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol.

Myth: Taking vitamin C supplements, drinking green tea, eating garlic, or ingesting probiotics can help prevent coronavirus.

Fact: No. These natural remedies will neither protect you from this novel coronavirus nor can they treat the condition should you become sick. Neither will antibiotics work as a treatment since this is a viral infection, not a bacterial illness.

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Dealing with Blisters when Traveling

Blisters can ruin a hiking trip. That’s what almost happened to a friend of mine who tackled a 10+-day hike in northern Spain. He developed a very large blister on the sole of his foot. I ended up giving him blister tips via WhatsApp that allowed him to complete his trip with minimal discomfort.

Basically, once a blister forms and becomes quite large, it needs to be pierced, so that the fluid can drain. However, he was doing this with a sterilized needle, but it wasn’t working. I determined that the reason was that the gauge of the needle was too small to allow adequate drainage. And also that a callus formed over the blister as he repeatedly hiked on it day after day. (It was the body’s way of protecting the skin.) I suggested he find a pharmacy that sells manicure supplies, including a small cuticle clipper. Then, after adequately cleaning the skin with soap and water and also cleaning the clipper with alcohol, he could ever so gently make a nick in the side of the blister, which would allow the fluid to drain. He did this and it provided some relief but there was still pain -- from the overlying callus tissue. So I suggested that, again, after carefully cleaning the skin and the clipper, he gently attempt to debride the callus to reduce its thickness and size. After that, he would need to protect the area, either with a little foam donut or with a gel pad, such as Compeed, or with a dab of Aquafor. And this all worked!

My advice for blisters is to prevent them from getting getting so large. When I find a hot spot on my foot, I immediately apply Aquafor to reduce friction. And to prevent blisters in the first place, I wear Merino wool socks that wick away sweat and that have no seams nor do they bunch up. Two companies that I love are Smart Wool and Feetures.

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Necessary + Essential First-Aid Supplies

Injuries and illnesses can occur anywhere, whether at home, or traveling domestically or far afield. I carry a very complete first-aid kit with me when I'm traveling that duplicates many of the items I have readily available in my house. Whether you cut yourself in the kitchen when slicing carrots -- and, if you're on anti-clotting medication this would be especially problematic; or you're a woman who develops a vaginal infection while traveling in China, for example, where you might have difficulty easily finding a pharmacy who will understand what you need, especially if you're in a rural locale; or you're sitting beside a campfire making S'mores only to have the smoke irritate your eyes, the supplies (below) should provide relief. This list does not include the more typical items, such as gauze, adhesive bandages, a thermometer, and ACE-type elastic bandages, which are, of course, also important. Each of the supplies (below) are divided by symptom and body system to make it easier for you to determine what you need.

Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat, Teeth

• OcuFresh Eye Wash
  
• GenTeal, Blink Tears or other lubricating eye drops
  
• EarPlanes - for unclogging ears on the plane
  
• Saline nasal spray

Tummy Troubles

• Bonine - for motion sickness

• MiraLax - for constipation

• Pepto Bismol chewable tabs - for diarrhea and to prevent traveler's diarrhea

• Electrolyte replacement powder - for diarrhea

• Peppermint Tummy drops - for stomach upset
  

Bites, Stings, Rashes

• Benadryl cream - for itching

• IvyBlock - prevents poison ivy rash

• Calamine lotion -- for rash/itching

• Tecnu - poison ivy skin cleanser
  
• After Bite -- for itching after a "bug" bite

Cuts and Bruises

• Betadine or other antiseptic wipes

• Bacitracin topical antibiotic cream
  
• Blister kit with moleskin
  
• QuikClot - to stop bleeding fast
  
• Spenco 2nd Skin squares/pads - for a blister

Women's Needs

• Diflucan (single oral dose) - prescription

• Monistat vaginal cream

• Replens
  

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Gear Review: Collapsible Water Bottle

On my recent trip to Sri Lanka, I decided to pack even lighter than usual. Of course, I never check luggage -- even when traveling internationally for 6+ weeks. But, this time, I wanted to minimize the number of bulky items I packed because I planned to stow my soft luggage under my seat rather than in the overhead compartment. Aside from one extra pair of shoes, the bulkiest item was my special water bottle that is a water filter. So, instead of traveling with the Lifestraw Go bottle, I purchased the Katadyn BeFree which is a soft, collapsible, BPA-free flask. It comes in three sizes: a little over half a liter, as well as one liter and three liter models. (I picked the half liter model for my travels.) Weighing in at just two ounces and packing relatively small, this was ideal for my journey. You simply suck from the spout and the filter removes 99.9% of protozoa and 99.9999% of bacteria from the water (It doesn't remove viruses.) And, when you unscrew the spout, the wide mouth of the flask makes it easy to fill from the faucet.

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Avoiding Extras on Budget Flights

A budget airline may sound like a great deal, until the extras pile up, whether it's the pricy food options or the minimal free carry-on baggage allowances. I get around all of these add-ons by doing the following:

1- I bring my own healthy snacks, such as hummus dip with red pepper and unsalted pretzels; shelled unsalted pistachios, low-fat cheese, high-fiber low-sodium crackers, non-fat plain Greek yogurt, red grapes.

2- I don't check any luggage. Instead, I have a small carry-on that fits the airline's dimensions. I wear my bulkiest clothing and, aside from the shoes I wear, I only pack one additional pair.

3- I don't pay extra for choosing a seat, opting, instead for the seat I'm given.

I was recently interviewed on this topic and my one of my biggest tips is gaining access to an airport lounge without having to pay the day rate. American Express gives its Platinum members free access to lounges all over the world. Not only are lounges a prime place to de-stress but they also have numerous food and beverage options. In some, you're able to take a shower, which is a real perk when traveling across numerous time zones internationally and then having to deal with a long layover. And you can check email without paying a surcharge. Of all the lounges available, its AmEx's own Centurion lounges that are some of the best. The image below reflects just one of the many placid spaces in their lounge at the otherwise horrid LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

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More Travel Health Myths

When I travel, I’m often shocked by the myriad old wives tales, myths and down-home health advice that persist, even among some of the savviest people. On one of my recent trips, when I sat down to lunch with my guide, I was a little surprised to see him order a shot of whiskey, something he ended up doing before every meal! I finally asked what was up with this? He replied: “I do it to prevent getting a stomach flu from eating bad food.”  I recently wrote an article for Berkeley Wellness, a collaboration with the University of California at Berkeley School of Public Health on travel health myths and misconceptions, including whether drinking alcohol can prevent gastrointestinal woes.

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Personal In-Flight Items - What to Pack

Whenever I fly, I'm observing the behavior of the passengers around me. It's often surprising to see how many get up -- often when the seatbelt sign is on because of turbulence -- to open the overhead bin and rifle around in their large bags for some item they need. Many times, because of their disorganized packing, the item is no where to be found. Opening the overhead bins during turbulence puts them and the people around them at risk for injury, should something fall out. I keep everything I need for the flight in a small backpack under my seat. These items can deal with most anything that will occur on the flight, whether it's the noisy passengers or stomach upset, chapped lips or motion sickness. Here are the essential in-flight items I pack:

• Ricola natural herb lozenges for a dry or sore throat
• Tummydrops  for motion sickness
• Bonine also for motion sickness
• chewable Rolaids or Tums
• Aleve for a headache
• EarPeace earplugs
• Bucky eye mask
• dental supplies: floss, foldable toothbrush, Stim-U-Dents (a special toothpick that softens in your mouth so it won't injure gums), mini toothpaste tube
• Charmin wet wipes
• Purell hand wipes
• dark chocolate
• lip balm
• Altoids mints

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Kids First-Aid Kit Organizer - Only 2 Left

A well-stocked first-aid kit is often an afterthought when packing for travels, whether it's a short road trip or a journey to far-flung lands. But, if you're traveling with children, it's especially important to pack items that can tackle anything from a simple skin rash to an insect bite. A well-stocked first-aid kit certainly doesn't preclude visiting a pediatrician should your child develop a fever or have an allergy reaction. But it can take away the worry for minor cuts, bruises or ills.

My Kids Doc-in-a-Bag is not stocked with first-aid supplies. Rather, this is a zippered vinyl sac that comes with a comprehensive laminated list of what you need to include in your kids first-aid kit. On the list are things such as child-safe sunscreen and insect repellent, topical cortisone for rashes or insect bites, as well as kids Benadryl (antihistamine) for mild allergic reactions.

There are only two Kids Doc-in-a-Bag left in stock.
I'm including samples of Tummy Drops, a natural product containing ginger created by a gastroenterologist. (Perfect for motion sickness, whether on the plane, in a car, or on a ferry.)

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Travel Health Misunderstandings

I thought most travelers know at least some of the basics of how to stay healthy when traveling to developing countries. (This is a nice infographic on the topic from the Centers from Disease Control and Prevention -- CDC.) But after a few recent international trips, I realized that some travelers have their own interpretation of well-established guidelines, interpretations that leave them open to coming down with a food-borne illness. Here's what I recently observed:

1- When a hot dish arrives on a plate with cold garnishes, such as tomatoes and lettuce, is it OK to eat the produce? The people on my trip all thought so but the correct answer would be "no,." All food you consume should be hot. Just because it's a garnish doesn't mean it's safe to eat it cold.

2- When fruit arrives already peeled in your bowl for breakfast, do you eat it? Apparently many people thought that eating peeled fruit is exactly what you should be doing. But the misinterpretation is that you're supposed to peel the fruit, not someone in the kitchen, where you don't know how the fruit or the knives were washed, nor the hygiene of the kitchen staff or the kitchen.

3- Is it a good idea to drink juice at breakfast? Everyone but me thought this was a good idea. In fact, it's risky unless you know 100% that the juice was not diluted with unsafe water.

4- What about undercooked fried eggs where the yolk is runny; is it safe? Most everyone at my table ate the runny yolk but this isn't the safest strategy. Eggs should not be undercooked.

5- How about a cold sandwich for a picnic lunch made with lettuce, avocado, onions and other cold fixings? Absolutely not. But, then, I was one of the only people who prepared my own sandwiches, relying on peanut butter that I brought with me.

6- Cheese must be safe, right? Not necessarily. Soft cheeses, even in developed countries including in the U.S. and Canada, have been linked with food-borne illness, specifically contamination with a bacteria called Listeria; and if cheese is not properly refrigerated or made from unpasteurized milk, it should also be off limits. Yet, this didn't stop many of the travelers I met from spontaneously ordering cheese sandwiches or buying cheese from small road-side shops with potentially questionable refrigeration conditions.

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What to Pack for Travel in Developing Countries

Having just returned from Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in the world, I knew to be prepared, for tap water that may or may not be contaminated, for medical care that may be hours away, for a lack of feminine hygiene products as well as other hygiene issues as I bicycled for two weeks, often picnicking on the road side.  Below is what I carry in the small backpack when I travel to developing countries. The Pepto-Bismol is to prevent traveler's diarrhea; Imodium (or, in a worse case scenario, Zithromax) in case that didn't work. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are the best way of disinfecting surfaces, including your hands, which you should do when you touch anything -- especially the paper currency -- and then intend on touching your mouth. Baby wipes are especially useful when the toilet facilities are lacking. Alcohol swabs for wiping down a can of soda just in case. Cups that I found in hotel rooms and other places may or may not be clean so I brought my own. Utensils for my picnics where I enjoyed peanut butter sandwiches -- a high protein source which, along with carbs, is needed when cycling intensely. SteriPen -- it easily slips in your pocket --  to take care of all the potential microbes in questionable water sources


1- Baby Wipes

2- Tampons or sanitary pads

3- SteriPen
(https://www.steripen.com/classic3/)

4- Pepto-Bismol chewable tabs

5- Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer

6- Alcohol Swabs

7- Foldable Cup
(https://www.rei.com/product/787278/sea-to-summit-x-mug)

8- Plastic (or bamboo) Utensils
(https://www.rei.com/product/867618/sea-to-summit-delta-cutlery-set)

9- One-dose Anti-Vaginitis Drug: Diflucan
(https://www.drugs.com/diflucan.html)

10- One-dose Zithromax antibiotic
(https://www.drugs.com/mtm/zithromax-z-pak.html)

11- Imodium
(http://www.imodium.ca/products/calming-liquid)

12- Justin's Squeezable Peanut Butter Packs
(http://shop.justins.com/Classic-Peanut-Butter/p/JNB-003004&c=Justins@NutButters)

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How To Stay Healthy When Traveling

We all know not to drink the water or eat the raw fruit when traveling. But there's so much more to staying healthy when you're on the road. A couple of days ago, I gave a roundtable presentation at the New York Travel Festival entitled "How to Stay Healthy When Traveling." I revealed a variety of less-known ways to avoid foodborne illness, including avoiding fruit juices that can often be diluted with tap water as well as swearing off buffets because various flying insects that are vectors for disease can alight; what small device you should always pack when visiting developing countries -- it's the Steri-Pen, a UV-light water purifer; why you should take Pepto Bismol before you ever get sick -- if you follow a particular protocol of taking two chewable tabs before each meal and at bedtime it can significantly reduce the risk of traveler's belly; and what device can prevent motion sickness - it's the Relief-Band, a battery-powered device that stimulates the anti-nausea acupressure point on the risk. This private link bit.ly/BaroneHealth is an abbreviated list of recommended travel first-aid supplies. For the full-list as well as several free samples/product discount coupons, visit my store where I sell Doc-in-a-Bag, the unique travel first-aid kit organizer.

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Radio Interview: Staying Healthy When Traveling

Nothing can ruin a vacation or any journey, especially to far-flung lands than an illness or injury. I've spent years learning from bad experiences, as well as taking what I've learned from my vast background in health, medicine and biology and putting it all into practice to prevent travel-related ills. So I was delighted to be interviewed on this topic by Mary and Robert Carey on the radio program: Rudy Maxa's World with the Careys. Click on the button below to find out some of the things I recommend.

...

To listen to the entire show, visit this website: 

You can listen to Rudy Maxa's World with the Careys here.

And, for more practical information, check out Doc-in-a-Bag, the unique travel first-aid organizer.

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Packing a First-Aid Kit for your Kids

Nothing ruins a trip more than an injury or illness, whether it affect you or your kids. And, though most people think they know what to pack in a first-aid kit, that’s generally not the case. The items end up being an afterthought and often revolve around aspirin, Tylenol and Band-aids.

I’ve designed a Kids Doc-in-a-Bag to help with the planning. It comes with a comprehensive laminated list of what to include in your kids first-aid kit, including:

kids Benadryl (antihistamine) for allergic reactions

topical cortisone cream for rashes + insect bites

child-safe sunscreen

child-safe insect repellant

I’m especially fond of the products manufactured by All Terrain like their child-safe insect repellant and sunscreen.

Check out Kids Doc-in-a-Bag for the entire list of everything you should pack in their first aid kit.

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Motion Sickness Remedy For Travel

Whether you’re traveling by planes, trains or automobiles -- or by bus or boat -- motion sickness will surely ruin your transit. I carry along a variety of items to keep motion sickness at bay. Among the products is Tummy Drops, which were created by a gastroenterologist. These drops -- made with natural plant oils -- come in a variety of flavors, including ginger, which has long been touted to ease motion sickness; peppermint, which may be able to relieve nausea; and cinnamon that acts to relieve bloating. I offer a discount coupon as well as free samples of Tummy Drops in my Doc-in-a-Bag, the unique first-aid kit organizer

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Staying Healthy When Traveling

No matter where in the world I'm traveling, staying healthy is my key concern. Because, after all, nothing can ruin a trip more than an unexpected illness or injury.  Diana Price recently interviewed me on this topic for Women magazine. Among the many things I discussed was carrying a well-stocked first-aid kit, like what I recommend in Doc-in-a-Bag, a travel first-aid kit organizer that I designed.  To find out more about what I recommend, click on the link to the article "Go Far, Be Well."

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My Upcoming Travel Product Launch Party in New York City

I'm so excited to be holding my product launch party on Saturday, May 14th at the best poké restaurant -- it's Hawaiian-style raw fish salad -- in New York City.

I'll be selling all six of my products: any-occasion photo greeting cards, Doc-in-a-Bag (unique first-aid kit organizer), AngryJ plush doll + t-shirts, and the first two items in my clothing and accessories collection for travelers: a stylish multi-pocket vest for women, and a unisex 7-in-1 micro travel bag.

And 10% of net profits from all my products, goes to She’s the First, a non-profit that sponsors girls’ education (on the primary and secondary school level) in 11 low-income countries all around the world, including Nepal, Guatemala and Sierra Leone.

If you're in NYC, I'd love to see you. Otherwise, you can purchase all my products online. 

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