Staying in Phuket During the Coronavirus

While you should always take precautions when you travel, if you’ve already scheduled and paid for a holiday, there is little reason to cancel your trip because of the coronavirus. There are some tips we can recommend to ensure you stay safe and healthy when you visit a Patong Beach hotel in Phuket during your holiday.

The coronavirus has everyone around the world on edge, and for very good reason. This respiratory virus is a dangerous illness that has claimed over 360 lives and infected more than 17,000 people.

Transmission of a Virus

The coronavirus infects the respiratory tracts of its victims. But this doesn’t mean that the virus is caused specifically by breathing in air containing the virus. Viruses can cause infection by different methods.

Inhaling air infected with the virus is the most obvious source of an infection, but wearing a face mask is not as effective as a source of virus prevention unless you’re wearing the right type of mask. 

Loose-fitting face masks, such as those worn by the hospital and dental staff, are not designed to prevent contraction of viruses. They are designed to prevent bodily fluids from entering the mouths of healthcare professionals.

To guard against infection by a virus, you need to purchase a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator-type face mask, according to many virologists around the world. These tight-fitting masks get their N95 designation from the fact that they block at least 95% of tiny particles, including viruses.

Keep Your Hands Clean

Many people inadvertently open themselves up to the possibility of infection by their unconscious habits, such as touching their faces, mouths and noses as they go through their day. Airports are one of the most obvious places that viruses can exist. Viruses can exist on exposed hard surfaces such as railings, countertops and even money.

By getting in the habit of washing your hands many times a day as you go about traveling to a Patong Beach hotel, you'll reduce the possibility of being infected by a virus. Please get in the habit of carrying a bottle of alcohol-based hand wash in your beach bag, backpack or purse and using it often.

Eat Healthy and Wisely

While staying in a reputable Patong Beach hotel gives you a certain extra safety zone when it comes to eating the food served within the hotel, you’re more at risk when you venture to sample food served on the street and in the markets.

The coronavirus has been tracked down as starting in a market in Wuhan selling ‘bushmeat’, or wild game that is butchered and sold to the public. It’s never a good idea to eat any meat that can’t be identified. But extra care should also be taken to observe any lapses in the hygienic butchering and preparation of meat, poultry and fish in general. 

Stay Safe in Thailand

The medical authorities in Thailand have had success in treating the coronavirus with a combination of anti-flu and AIDs drugs. At the same time, the government has stepped up restrictions and testing of tourists from infected regions in China.

And Phuket has many excellent hospitals with English-speaking staff if you need any type of medical assistance while you’re on holiday on the island.

The truth is that no one can fully ensure themselves from being infected as long as they are part of society. But breathing in clean air from the ocean at a Patong Beach hotel is much more preferable to suffering through any possible exposure to the coronavirus or even the cold and flu season at home.