As countries around the globe including India are now gradually opening up trade and industries including travel & tourism, bringing life back to normal remains a major concern. The new normal requires every industry to take precautionary and preventive measures to protect its personnel and client from infection.

In continuation of Dekho Apna Desh webinar series, the Ministry Of Tourism introduced the latest session in the series on 'Unlocking Travel & Tourism Safely & Responsibly during COVID'. The series is an effort to showcase India’s rich diversity under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

The 39th Session of the Dekho Apna Desh webinar series was moderated by Rupinder Brar, ADG, Ministry Of Tourism and was presented by Dr. Sandeep Bhalla Director of Public Health Foundation of India, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Singh, Chief Medical Superintendent of Amrita Institute of Medical & Sciences Research Center at Kochi, Dr. Paridhi Mody, Program Officer of Public Health Foundation of India briefing the participants all about the travelling safely and responsibly during COVID.

As countries around the globe including India are now gradually opening up trade and industries including travel & tourism, bringing life back to normal remains a major concern. The new normal requires every industry to take precautionary and preventive measures to protect its personnel and client from infection. There is also need for disseminating scientific information in a simple way and dispelling myths and misinformation. In this context, Public Health Foundation of India brings and aims at raising knowledge and awareness of participants regarding preventive measures to be taken for reopening of offices/workplace and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of staff, their family and clients during the time of COVID.

The session began with the introduction of COVID -19 which has created unprecedented disruption not only in healthcare globally but also very development of the country. The prevalence of the disease on a long term basis shows that it will re-shape all aspects of life and wherein new normal the priorities are going to be different.

Though the cases in India are increasing day by day but the positive side can be seen as well i.e. the recovery rate is approx. 58.2 per cent in India. The states have came up with various models for this pandemic which is also a positive side for our country. This is time to learn or to be educated about this pandemic and coming out of fear should be the basic aim/idea for now.

Further, the session highlighted various facts, figures and safety measures for the pandemic. It was mentioned that 80 per cent of the COVID cases are asymptomatic so the best medicine is prevention. The presenters informed that usage of masks reduces infection spread by 3 per cent per day also the health care workers should use the N95 and 3 PLY surgical masks and the public can use a double-layer cloth mask which should be properly washed and dried. The presenters also informed that there are various varieties of hand sanitizers available in the market to choose the appropriate one, one can check the presence of the alcohol present in the sanitizer.

The session also highlighted some myths based on the COVID i.e. Alcohol kills corona, thermal scanning is not good, spraying bleach will protect, holding breath for 10 seconds, COVID not present in areas which have a high temperature.

The session also highlighted the Do’s and Don’ts for the travel perspective at the Airport, for the Bus and transport authority, for the hospitality operations, for the food packing, personal hygiene, for the cleaning protocols, dining protocols. Also for mental health it is advised to be connected with people, practice yoga and meditation, spend “me time and we time”, do charity, and avoid WhatsApp and fake news. Besides that, the session explained that Tourism plays a big role in the country’s economy, for jobs as well as for the growth of the nation.

The webinar concluded that as a country India is battling well with COVID-19. Having a huge population that Govt has to take care of, each citizen needs to be very responsible and join the efforts of the Government by following the guidelines, safety and precautionary measures, avoid panic and stay connected with people around them.