In the next few months, airports will be packed with people – and all the germs they bring with them. Although the pandemic should have taught us how to take precautions, we've compiled a list of reminders to help you avoid illness during holiday travel.
1. Be up to date on immunizations. Immunizations are the most effective way to protect yourself from catching the flu, COVID, and RSV. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu vaccine “prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor’s visits each year.”
Talk to your doctor about which vaccines are recommended for you and your family based on your age, overall health, and any underlying medical conditions.
2. Wear a mask. Face masks don’t offer 100% protection against airborne viruses. However, they can cut the distance airborne pathogens can travel by half. That’s what research found for cloth masks, according to Science Daily. Surgical masks were even more effective than cloth masks in reducing emissions from coughing or speaking.
If you want to avoid wearing a mask the whole time you are traveling, consider donning one in spaces where you aren’t able to social distance, including when you are seated on an airplane, train, or bus or standing in a line.
3. Wash or sanitize your hands over and over again. Some places that harbor the most germs in airports are those most travelers will use at least once – self-service kiosks, handrails on escalators or moving walkways, and water fountains.
According to the CDC, handwashing can prevent about 20% of respiratory infections and about 30% of diarrhea-related illnesses. If you don’t have access to soap and water, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
4. Keep your hands away from your nose and mouth. Most people touch their face about 20 times in an hour, according to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control.
Touching your face is a natural tendency and one of the reasons respiratory viruses can spread so easily. Pay attention to this habit. This is another reason to wash your hands regularly to protect your health over the holidays.
5. Be careful with what you eat and drink. Staying hydrated and eating healthy foods can support your immune system and prepare your body to better fight viral and bacterial infections. There’s no single nutrient that prevents illness, but there are specific groups of foods that are associated with improving immune system function.
6. Get plenty of sleep. If you can sleep for seven to nine hours each night, you will help keep your immune system strong. Sleep interruption is common for travelers who cross time zones and must reset their body clocks at their destination. Take it easy for the first few days and give your body time to rest, recover, and adjust. Eugene Delaune, the medical director at SentinelMED, has some great strategies for beating jet lag.
Travel Insurance Can Help If You Become Sick
Of course, you can do everything right to avoid illness during holiday travel and still catch a virus. The SentinelMED team recommends that travelers purchase travel insurance in case they become seriously ill or injured while traveling. Read over coverage limitations carefully. If you have health insurance, take a few minutes to review what that plan may cover for out-of-network care.
More About SentinelMED
SentinelMED provides medical escort and transport services for patients needing long-distance travel assistance. In many cases, our medical escorts travel with patients on commercial flights, a cost-effective alternative to air ambulance services. Our medical escorts are trained or experienced in emergency and critical care medicine.
Other services offered by SentinelMED include medical evacuation and repatriation for people who become ill or injured while traveling and need assistance to return home.
At SentinelMED, we understand the complexity of delivering exceptional care to domestic medical travelers. Please contact us if you’d like to learn more about our services and staff.
