Vanlife during pandemic…
VANLIFE: How not to become a vector of infection
For fulltime vanlifers, do we travel or do we stay in one place for the duration of the coronavirus crisis? For those whose vanlife consists of journeys away from their fixed address, do they postpone their travels or set off regardless?
These are the question bugging vanlifers at the moment.
The risks
The argument for staying in one place or postponing our travels is that it minimises our picking up and spreading the virus. Taking the virus to small rural towns where it spreads could overwhelm limited rural health services. The presence of the virus in rural areas could infect vanlifers who would take it into unaffected communities.
The multiple contacts we make while on the road are one of the highlights of vanlife. In the present pandemic they increase our chance of becoming infected with the Covid-19 coronavirus. Once infected, we infect others we come in contact with. This is what lies at the core of the question about travelling or staying put.
In thinking about this for a paragraph or two, let’s consider those free camps and the commercial caravan parks we stay at. Here, the chance of infection is proportional to the management’s diligence in cleaning the showers, toilets and camp kitchens, That’s because the virus can be picked up from door handles, taps, tables and other surfaces. This is also relevant to free camps with shared toilet facilities where cleaning is the responsibility of councils.
We’ve all seen how the cleanliness of commercial caravan parks varies. One of the Big 4 chain I stayed at, in Melbourne, cleaned their facilities twice daily. One cleaning was done around midnight so the showers and toilets were clean for the morning peak use period.
The cleaning quality of other caravan parks is something I find variable. Some thoughtless campers leave the shared cooking and eating utensils in the camp kitchen for others to clean up and don’t bother to swab down food preparation and eating surfaces after using them. In the present circumstances these people are a danger to others and to themselves.
Social distancing, keeping the recommended 1.5 metres distance between people is another challenge of staying in commercial caravan parks as well as informal free camps. It is difficult to maintain this distancing when a lot of people are using the camp kitchen and in those sites with children’s play equipment.
The distance between vehicles or tents is another factor. At the St Helens (Tasmania) Big 4 around new year some tents were crammed close to others because campsites were not marked and management told tent and car campers to camp wherever they liked in the area. Cramming campers close together is never a good practice and in the present crisis the cross-contamination danger of doing this is obvious. I understand the separation between campers recommended in the industry is a minimum 2.5 metres.
What about remote self-isolation?
The idea of self-isolation in national parks and other remote locations is starting to appear on social media.
Remote self-isolation can help with social distancing because campers usually set up with a fair amount of space between them, however even here we share communal toilets and taps and would have to maintain a high level of personal cleanliness.
The solution is to be self-contained, including carrying a porta-potty in our van. A good supply of water, food and cooking fuel are other necessities. If we have a motorhome this might be achievable, however the amount of necessities we can stow in a VW, Transit or HiAce van is limited. A minivan like a VW Caddy or a Kangaroo can carry even less. This necessitates visits to town to resupply food and fuel, and that implies human contact.
Stay clean, stay safe
All of the recommended behavioural practices for fixed address living are relevant for vanlife:
•wash our hands regularly with soap of hand sanitiser, especially before preparing food and after using the campground’s shared showers or toilet
•maintain social distancing of a minimum 1.5 metres between people and forget about shaking hands
•use our own cooking and eating utensils in camp kitchens or at our vehicle and wash down the food preparation surfaces and table with hot, soapy water before and after using them
•pitch our tent or park a minimum 2.5 metres from others
•use disinfectant wipes to clean our steering wheel, door handles and others contact parts of our van and don’t dispose of them down the toilet because they do not break down readily and cause blockages
•carry a radio to get the latest information about the virus; in Australia, ABC News Radio is a good source of information; reliable online sources include the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and The Guardian
self-isolate for a couple weeks if we show signs of a cold.
How is the pandemic affecting your vanlife?
What precautions are you taking in your travels?
What tips for safe vanlife living during the pandemic can you offer?
Why not share your stories in the comments below.
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