RV’s and COVID-19: How to Stay Safe During the Pandemic

by Eric Tress

The COVID-19 pandemic has swept around the globe, causing uncertainty for everyone and especially for full-time RVers. 
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Some people prefer to live as nomads, traveling, and discovering their inner adventure spirit by crisscrossing the country in their RVs instead of living in traditional homes. However, during this pandemic season, the main agenda for RVers should be staying safe and healthy until the infection rate has reduced and the stay-at-home-restrictions are lifted.

Here are some ways to navigate the pandemic and stay safe:

1.  Stay in recommended places

The RVers should stay in recommended places with good reviews. Avoid moving from one location to another and stay in a comfortable, safe place, whether in your property, family member driveway, or an RV Camp to minimize the chances of getting exposed to the virus. 

Ensure you stay in a location within reach of medical resources, in case of an emergency. Your locality should also have essential suppliers like produce and paper goods within a short drive. Be extra careful when interacting with others by staying six feet away.

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2.  Have enough resources

Fill your RV with enough gas and buy groceries to last you for a month; this restricts any unnecessary movement. Have enough kitchen equipment and other essentials, including canned food, dry goods, food storage containers, dish soap, towels, sponges, trash bags, and pot holders to avoid borrowing from other RVers. 
 
For the bath and bed needs, have enough bedding, toiletries, laundry detergents, and flip flops for a comfortable stay.  Have items like an outdoor rug for yoga, tablet or Smartphone, camping chairs, refillable water bottle, and lots of games, headlamps, and flashlights. 

Your emergency kit should have enough supplies, including painkillers, thermometer, and other essential medical equipment. 
 
Ensure you have updated RV insurance and your contacts within easy reach; that includes your family members, next of kin, and doctor. 

RVs are also prone to accidents like from little fender benders, more serious accidents to manufacturing and design defects; hence the need to have contacts of your car accident lawyer (here's one in NJ) within reach is important. 

3.  Embrace campground etiquette

Once you find the ideal spot for your RV, adhere to the campground etiquette to keep safe. During check-in, ask for no-contact services like paying using a credit card. The fewer interactions you have with cash and people, the easier it is to stay healthy. 

Instead of using the campsite shared bathrooms, full of surfaces that can quickly spread Covid-19, opt to use the RV bathroom. It will reduce the risk of infection.

Avoid using the campsite Laundromat and instead hand-wash your clothes and dry them in the sun. This prevents your getting into close contact with other RVers’ clothing while direct drying your clothes can kill viruses. Wear gloves when filling your tanks at the dump stations and rinse off your dump station.

For the campgrounds still providing Laundromat services, RVers are encouraged to adhere to cleanliness and safety guidelines provided like using antiviral cleaners and disinfectants, observing social distancing and using masks among others.

For mental health, avoid staying inside all day. If your local regulations allow, ride your bike around the park, take a walk, hike, go fishing, socialize but keep your distance. 

4.  Keep your RV clean

Thoroughly clean your RV regularly by disinfecting the surfaces to prevent infection. For the sink, toilet, countertops, and other hard surfaces use water and soap and disinfect using EPA approved products, diluted bleach solution, and products with 70% of alcohol base. 

Vacuum and clean visible stains and debris on your RV furniture, drapes, carpeting, and rugs using porous surface EPA approved products. When doing laundry, avoid shaking the clothes to minimize the possibility of dispersing viruses through the air. Wash your clothes and other items using warm water and disinfect the hampers.

It’s advisable to disinfect and clean the areas you frequently touch on your RV daily. Such places include light switches, doorknobs, handles, countertops, toilets, sinks, faucets, phones, desks, RV’s steering wheel, door handles, and dash controls.

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5.  Embrace Personal Hygiene

Your hygiene plays a vital role in stopping the spread of the Covid-19 virus. 

Wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with running water and soap. Avoid touching your body parts like face using unwashed hands, cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing with a tissue or use the inside of the elbow. Throw away used tissues, and immediately sanitize or wash hands. 

Boost your immunity by eating highly nutritious meals, having enough sleep, and exercising. 

6.  Take care of your Mental Health.

A healthy mental state will ensure you follow the guidelines and make the right decision to stay safe. 

Keep your mind healthy by shunning information pathogens, negative thoughts, and sensational headlines.

Find a distraction to help you cope and balance your daily life. You can do this by finding a good book, taking up a new hobby, or learning a new skill.

Speak about your fears, anxiety, and worries of COVID-19 and avoid bottling up your feelings. Connect with your feelings by expressing them; for example, for painful emotions, you may become sad or cry. Such ensures you release your feelings and find healing. 

Conclusion

The pandemic has distracted the beautiful, carefree lifestyle of RVers, limiting movement, and socialization. However, following the above guidelines will keep your mental and physical health in tip-top shape, and if you suspect that you have COVID-19 symptoms, seek immediate help. Keep safe; you will eventually get back on the road and new adventures.

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Eric Tress is a travel writer, digital content specialist, and a full-time sun seeker.  He works closely with Aiello, Harris, Marth, Tunnero & Schiffman, P.C. as a content specialist helping them build their online presence through friendly, engaging, and shareable web content. When not hunched over his computer, Eric is into his fender guitars, traveling or enjoying a nature walk with his pet.

The suggestions and opinions expressed in this guest blog post are those of Eric Tress and not necessarily the opinions of Jack Huber and other associated blogsites.

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