Travel safe with the Covid Trip Planner

International SOS facilitates the safe return to business travel with its latest risk management tool, the Covid Trip Planner. It provides clients with personalised information and travel planning advice, accessible via the International SOS ManagerView and Assistance App.

Navigating the changing landscape of Covid-19 restrictions requires travellers to keep updated on the latest news. The planner provides travel updates according to destination, country visa requirements, testing requirements and quarantine mandates. This information is provided by Sherpa, International SOS’s global data provider.

“Omicron has sparked another wave of travel bans and many countries have taken the decision to reverse their border easing in fear of the highly transmissible variant. We expect travel regulations to continuously evolve, and the impact of Covid-19 may even transform the way we travel for many years to come. Each trip may require a risk management process based on the destination, need for travel, as well as additional Covid-19 restrictions,” said Dr Jamon Ngoencharee, Chief Medical Officer, International SOS.

The current landscape requires planners and travel managers to re-design their meetings and travel programmes for employees. It goes hand in hand with duty of care in ensuring employees get the necessary support while travelling for meetings and events.

In this context of risk management, International SOS’s Regional Security Manager Leo Ng shared, “We have developed a comprehensive workforce resilience programme that is designed to prepare the entire workforce for layered threat environments. It helps them to feel supported and productive, and provides them with assistance whenever they have a question, concern, or crisis.

“To encompass the varied risks faced by different segments of the workforce (domestic employees, the travelling workforce, or international assignnees), risk management programmes must comprise three key pillars: individual risk assessment, open communication, and education.”

Ng added that it is vital to understand the unique risk profile of each segment of the workforce in order to design strategies that effectively mitigate these risks. It ensures employees are well-informed when changes are implemented.

The Covid Trip Planner enables access to the International SOS Assistance Centre 24/7 Support, a key resource in enabling clients to connect with medical or security professionals whenever needed.