Tips for Traveling During Flu Season

We all get sick with illnesses that we call “the flu”. True influenza is caused by infection of the respiratory tract with various types of influenza viruses. Influenza A or B, Bird Flu, Swine Flu, H1N1. It's enough to give anyone a headache.

A common cold is one thing, but don't be fooled. Influenza is nothing to sneeze at. According to CDC data from 1976 to 2006, estimated annual deaths in the US from influenza ranged from a low of 3000 people to a high of 49,000. No matter how you look at it, it would still suck if one of those was you.

Influenza has successfully been infecting humanity for a long time. The flu season of 1918 is known as a pandemic because it affected up to half of the world's population (depending on your source). Tragically, it killed more people in a matter of weeks than perished during the four years of the World War that was just ending.

We have a few medications that can lessen the course of the disease, but there is still no way to kill the virus. Once again, prevention is still your best bet. In the US, an annual influenza vaccination (flu shot) is recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and is the most effective way to prevent influenza and its complications. Various types of flu vaccines are available on the market, but you still need to get one for it to work. I've had patients needlessly die from complications of the flu, all for the sake of not getting a simple shot. When more people in the community get vaccinated, it lessens the risk of infection for everyone, something epidemiologists call “herd immunity”.

So what does the flu have to do with travel? Influenza viruses spread from close person to person contact. Travelers are at increased risk of acquiring the flu in confined spaces like planes or trains and areas with crowds, such as airports and popular tourist attractions. Traveling across time zones or on a tight business itinerary disrupts your body's regular routine and can weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to getting sick. Being laid up in bed for 3 to 5 days might be a break from work or school, but it could ruin the vacation of a lifetime or an important business trip.

Influenza patterns and strains vary throughout the world. The avian influenza type H5N1 (known as bird flu) continues to circulate throughout Asia. A deadly swine flu outbreak earlier this year killed over 2500 people across India, and scattered cases are still being reported. Check with your local travel health specialist to see if your itinerary includes regions of increased risk.

Influenza may very well be the globe's busiest frequent flyer. Flu season in the Northern Hemisphere runs roughly from October to March, and from April to September in the Southern Hemisphere. Less change of seasons near the equator means that flu season in the tropics can last throughout the year. Fortunately, the flu vaccine used in the US usually protects against the major viruses found in other parts of the world.

Get your flu vaccine at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow enough time to develop immunity. The signs and symptoms of influenza are often difficult to distinguish from other respiratory infections. It's much better to get a flu shot than to be on the other side of the world, getting sick and wondering what kind of exotic travel bug you might have.

More information: www.travelbughealth.com

Related article: During Cold & Flu Season, Protect Yourself by Eating Right