{"id":7697,"date":"2025-10-08T08:11:52","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T08:11:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oxygenworldwide.com\/?p=7697"},"modified":"2025-10-10T08:42:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T08:42:09","slug":"long-covid-and-oxygen-can-you-still-travel-abroad-safely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oxygenworldwide.com\/es\/long-covid-and-oxygen-can-you-still-travel-abroad-safely\/","title":{"rendered":"Long COVID and Oxygen: Can You Still Travel Abroad Safely?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article explains how Long COVID patients, many of whom require oxygen therapy due to respiratory issues, can still travel with careful planning. It covers the medical and airline requirements for flying with oxygen, options for ground and sea travel, safety and insurance considerations, and the importance of prescriptions and approved equipment. With support from OxygenWorldwide in handling logistics and global oxygen supply, safe and enjoyable travel remains possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What happens when travel dreams meet Long COVID head on? The weird formless days of 2020 and 2021 were bad enough, but at least then everyone was in the same boat. Long COVID is an unpleasant side effect of the coronavirus infection, in which an estimated <\/span>six percent<\/span><\/a> of the patient body continued \u2013 and continue now \u2013 to suffer a wide variety of symptoms. One of the most common of these symptoms is breathlessness which often requires oxygen therapy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are a Long COVID sufferer, you might laugh incredulously at the thought of fulfilling all your dreams of travelling the world and exploring new cultures and cuisines, given that it takes hours of planning and waiting for an energy burst just to make it to the corner shop for some milk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But travel is still possible, even with the logistics of organising your medical oxygen, as long as you take a moment to plan it carefully and ensure that you have a robust line of oxygen support in place. The good news is that that robust support already exists: here’s <\/span>why you should choose OxygenWorldwide<\/span><\/a> to aid you with sourcing medical oxygen for Long COVID patients.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Long COVID Means for Oxygen Needs<\/b><\/h2>\n

For many years doctors were aware that occasionally \u2013 very, very rarely \u2013 patients would not fully recover from viruses. This was quite difficult to ascertain as some viruses can linger leaving patients feeling weak and ‘pulled down’. Post-viral infections are not the aftermath of having a virus: in which you feel weak and tired as you regain full strength after fighting off the infection. Rather, they are a period of continued inflammation \u2013 think of it as a fire going underground and continuing to burn, as compared to the blackened ashy ground of a properly extinguished fire which will, with time, recover.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Long COVID is one such subterranean fire. Coronaviruses are somewhat unusual in that they can affect any part of the body, the ‘crown-like’ protrusions for which they are named stick to the body’s cells, wreaking havoc wherever that may be: heart, lungs, other organs. Respiratory issues are the most common, and this carries over into Long COVID issues too: around <\/span>38% of Long COVID patients<\/span><\/a> have respiratory symptoms, by far the largest single complaint. Of these, a significant number require oxygen therapy to ease the reduced lung function they are experiencing, which presents as hypoxemia (low blood oxygen saturation) and fatigue. With the right oxygen therapy, often even Long COVID patients can enjoy a good quality of life and explore the world a bit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do note, the first thing you will need when you’re considering Long COVID travel with oxygen is your prescription. It is essential that your doctor issues you with an up-to-date version of your prescription which details your diagnosis, your required flow rate and (if necessary) which specialist equipment you require access to.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can You Fly with Oxygen After Long COVID?<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you struggle to breathe anyway, the mere thought of your preferred oxygen delivery equipment being barred from your flight is terrifying. But you can travel with medical oxygen as long as you take steps to be compliant with airline regulations and international laws.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, you will not be able to use oxygen cylinders on board the plane, but they can often be carried, empty, in the cargo hold for use at your holiday destination. LOX (liquid oxygen) is far too volatile to be safely carried by air, and will be forbidden by all airlines. However, you can take and use a portable oxygen concentrator (POC) on board your flight and use it as needed until you are safely in your holiday accommodation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do note, however, that you must use one of the POCs that has been approved by airlines and the FAA for use while in transit. OxygenWorldwide can help you to source oxygen and even equipment in your destination country, so as long as you can travel using a POC, you can soon be back using your preferred method of oxygen delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you are planning Long COVID travel with oxygen by air, you will have to provide your airline with the following, as well as sight of your prescription:<\/span><\/p>\n