With the increase in cases of Swine Flu or H1N1 many people are wondering about the ramifications of traveling during this epidemic. Here is some information on traveling safely during flu season.
Who shouldn’t travel?
As long as you take the proper precautions most people are okay to travel during the flu season. The exception is those who are particularly at risk of developing complications from contracting the flu. This includes children under five, pregnant women, adults over the age of 65 and those with chronic health conditions. The CDC recommends that these people try to postpone their travels if possible.
What precautions should I take?
The absolute most important thing that you can do to protect yourself from the flu is to wash your hands often with a good antibacterial soap. Sanitizing wipes are also a good idea. Use them to clean and sanitize anything that you must use that is used by the general public like table trays. Also try to avoid touching your eyes, your mouth or your nose with your hands as this would give a virus an easy entry point into your body. To protect others be sure to cough and sneeze into a disposable tissue.
Who is screening travelers?
As of the writing of this article the United States is not screening travelers for the flu. If this is a concern you should check with the countries where you will be traveling to see if they are screening. People have been detained in the past for showing signs of flu or for merely being on a plane where there was a suspicion of a flu case.