For many, the COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly becoming an unpleasant memory: something that happened, but now we can move on and get back to whatever it was we were doing in December 2019. But for a significant proportion of people who fell ill with the virus, life has not returned to normal, and medical professionals cannot say with any certainty that it ever will. Long covid, as the condition is known, is a lingering viral ‘scar’, if you will, damage caused by the illness that lingers after the virus has run its course, and leaving people affected in different ways, depending on how badly they suffered from the illness, and where in their body it attacked the most ferociously. For those whose lungs took the strain – about 11% of those who caught Covid-19 at least once – their symptoms range from having to carefully manage their exertion, and perhaps use a daily ‘preventer’ inhaler while for others it has changed their lives, leaving them reliant on a regular supply of supplementary oxygen, and unable to resume many of their previous activities and exercises.
These patients can find their lives quite restricted, but it is possible, even with long Covid acting like a ball and chain to slow you down, to travel, enjoy holidays and days out, and have good quality of life, as long as you plan carefully and take steps to ensure that your condition can be properly managed, no matter where you are. Here are some tips and advice on how to travel with supplemental oxygen after COVID.
Understanding Oxygen Needs Post-Covid-19
Long Covid is still a poorly understood condition because it has only been around and designated a specific condition in the last four years or so. Because of Covid-19’s habit of attacking different body parts and affecting them in different ways, diagnosis and treatment of Long Covid has been complicated, but oxygen therapy for long covid patients is one of the treatments that has not only worked on Long Covid patients with lung issues, but also with other problems, because oxygen therapy works on the whole body, not just on the respiratory system – but it is especially good for people with persistent lung issues.
If you are planning on traveling, it is important that you visit your healthcare professionals and let them know your plans so they can help you ensure that you are legally compliant to travel and that you are healthy enough to make the trip and have a good time while you are there.
Pre-Travel Preparations
Therefore, before you book your flights and start reading the guide book to your preferred destination, pick up the phone and call your doctor instead! Get a full check-up and let them know which country or countries you are hoping to visit so that they can properly advise you as to what vaccinations you must get and any precautions you will need to take. They will often also be able to advise you as to what medical certification you need, but don’t rely on this: you should find out for yourself what paperwork is needed, and, if necessary, ask for it.
If you will need oxygen at your destination, but also on the plane, you should discuss with your doctor the various options available to you and of course get in touch with OxygenWorldwide. Usually, you will be able to use an oxygen concentrator on board a plane, but not an oxygen cylinder or LOX canister. And do be mindful that the air on a plane is often thinner than that on the ground, and as such it can cause your illness to flare up. You may be able to carry oxygen cylinders with you in your checked luggage, but they will have to be empty, so you must arrange for them to be filled at your destination. Do not leave this to chance: make sure you coordinate well with Oxygen Worldwide for your destination weeks before you go, and further ensure that everything is in place just before you travel, to make sure that you won’t be let down.
Read carefully through all the regulations regarding the transportation and use of medical oxygen. This paperwork can be dense and quite daunting, but it will let you know what equipment you can take and use on board, what you need your doctor to give you, waiver-wise, and the rules and regulations (and the penalties for deciding to ignore any of these conditions) so you are well prepared when it comes time to make your bookings and start paying out your hard-earned cash.
Managing Oxygen During Travel
Having checked beforehand that your model of portable oxygen concentrator is allowed on your flight (and perhaps hired one that is permissible, if necessary) your work is not yet done. You must work out how much battery power you will need for your flight – and then double it to protect you against possible delays. It is always best to assume that you will be using batteries only, as power outlets on flights are neither prolific nor guaranteed to be available to you.
On the day before your flight (sometimes two days before) you will have to virtually check in your equipment, so that the officials are expecting it when you come along on the day. Make sure that you know how to manage your portable concentrator, from setting it up to packing it away and – importantly, understanding how to respond to any alarms or warnings that go off on the device. You will be expected to take full responsibility for your device during the flight, so make sure that you know all the ins and outs. Make sure you know the weight allowance you are permitted for your medical device – it is usually around 7 kilograms or less.
If you’re traveling by other means: train, perhaps, or car or bus, there are fewer restrictions on what portable oxygen you can take with you. However, there are still going to be restrictions on how much space you can take up, and possibly controls on oxygen cylinders. This is even more likely if you will be crossing borders, so do make sure you know what is and is not allowed. Obviously, traveling in your own vehicle is a bit different – you can carry what you like, within reason – but any customs and immigrations rules will need to be allowed for.
Once you’ve arrived at your destination, you do not want to be surprised to discover that your electrical oxygen therapy equipment won’t plug in to the electrics – or even that the property is ‘off-grid’, relying on wood or smokeless coal and candles and lanterns! Ensure that you have a clear and confirmed yes to a power source for your oxygen needs, and also that the owner of the property is aware of how vital your access to oxygen is.
Destination Planning
Countries with much higher altitude than you are used to might cause your breathing issues to worsen, so you should consult your doctor, being specific about the altitude of the part of the country in which you will be staying, asking directly if the medic thinks that you will be negatively affected by the height above sea-level. The higher you are, the lower the natural percentage of oxygen will be, so you may need a higher flow-rate than usual.
Before you travel, find two or three medical facilities close to your accommodation (ask the hotel staff too, if they have a concierge service with local doctors that you can use, if you need medical assistance) and get in touch with them. Let them know when you will be coming and ask if you can be signed on as a temporary patient for the duration of your stay. Hopefully, you will never need to take them up on it, but it is better to have it unused than not have the service available and need it desperately.
While Covid-19 is largely under control thanks to world-wide vaccination programmes, there are still new strains of both covid and flu coming along all the time, so you should be careful when you travel – one souvenir you do not want to bring home is another illness that sets you even further back in your recovery! Be aware of what guidelines there are in your destination country, and don’t feel self-conscious about wearing masks or maintaining safe distances from other people: you know your own health limitations and traveling with oxygen after COVID-19 is hard enough without adding anxiety to your worries!
Emergency Preparedness
Flying with oxygen and post-COVID complications is a big step, especially if you are slowly coming out of your lockdown-inspired bubble and expanding your horizons by getting back into travel. And you don’t want to risk anything going wrong and setting you back, or even making you worse than before. Therefore, it is infinitely better to have multiple back-up plans: contact details of emergency services, knowledge about where you can seek medical aid at short notice, and a solid plan on where and when you can access refills for your portable oxygen, should you begin to run out.
It is always sensible to be insured when traveling, and this is even more meaningful when you are traveling with oxygen after COVID-19. Make sure that your specific needs are covered by the policy, even if you have to pay a little extra to get the benefits you need, and ensure that the policy is set up and has been paid for so you can claim if you need to.
With care planning and the right resources, you absolutely can travel with oxygen, even after Covid-19 complications have impacted your life. Flying with oxygen and post-COVID complications is tricky, yes, but it is not impossible, so you do not have to abandon your dreams in order to look after your health: both are achievable!
However, it will not necessarily be an easy voyage, so make sure you use whatever resources are available to you, contact us and implement support plans that will facilitate your travel plans. And… bon voyage!
