How To Stay Healthy While Traveling for the Holidays
This year travelers who are heading out to see their friends and loved ones for the holidays are at risk of catching a range of illnesses from Covid-19 to the flu to the common cold. Even a cold can make you miserable and spread quickly through your friends and family. Some of the most common illnesses that travelers encounter are:
Covid-19
You should test for Covid-19 or get tested before you travel, but you may experience symptoms while you travel or after you travel. The most common symptoms of Covid-19 are fever, cough, trouble breathing, fatigue, and body aches. Many people who get Covid-19 report feeling like they got hit by a car. If you have unusual pain or fatigue and a fever or trouble breathing get tested for Covid-19 immediately.
Flu
The flu can also cause fatigue, but usually not the same kind of intense fatigue that Covid-19 causes. Other common symptoms of the flu are fever, chills, a cough, stuffy nose or congestion, and headaches.
Colds
If you have a cold you may have similar symptoms to the flu so it can be difficult to know which one you have. Typically people don’t have a fever with cold. Just symptoms like fatigue, cough, congestion, sore throat, and a runny nose.
The best things that you can do to avoid getting sick while traveling are:
Get A Flu Shot
Getting a flu shot at least a week before you travel is the best way to protect yourself from the flu when you’re traveling. A flu shot won’t protect you from all strains of the flu but it will protect you from many of them. You may have some symptoms of the flu after the vaccination which is why you should get it at least a week before you travel.
Wear A Mask
Masks are a great way to protect yourself from illnesses like Covid-19, the flu, colds, and other respiratory illnesses. When you’re confined in a tight space like a plane cabin for hours with many other people masks are the best line of defense to avoid getting sick.
Boost Your Immune System Before You Leave
Before you travel get your immune system as strong as possible. Eat a healthy diet. Get lots of vitamin C either through citrus fruit or by taking a vitamin C supplement. And make sure that you get plenty of rest. Being as healthy as you can before you travel will help you fight off illnesses when you’re traveling.
Social Distance And Be Outside When Possible
Staying away from other people is a good strategy to use to avoid getting sick. If you can hold family gatherings outside do that. If you can’t make sure that you are staying at least six feet away from others indoors.
If You Do Get Sick Go to Urgent Care
If you do start feeling feverish or having other symptoms of Covid-19, the flu, or a cold go to urgent care. Urgent care doctors will make sure that you get the medicine and support you need to get better no matter how far from home you are.
