Tips for Traveling

Many Americans are traveling this holiday season. Whether by air, by sea, or by road it’s important that you understand how to stay healthy when you’re on the go. Here are some useful tips that you can bring with you on your trip:

1. Get vaccinated. Be sure you are up-to-date with all your routine vaccinations. If you haven’t done so already, get the H1N1 flu vaccine. Use our Flu Shot Locator to get vaccinated where you live or at your travel destination. Some airports are also offering the vaccine for travelers.

2. Prepare a travel health kit. Include items in your kit that might be helpful if you get sick, such as tissues, pain or fever medicine, soap, and an alcohol-based hand rub. For other health items to consider, see Pack Smart.

3. Follow simple health steps. Here are some simple things you can do to take care of yourself and keep others well:

• Cover your coughs or sneezes with a tissue. No tissue? Then cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Avoid close contact with sick people.

4. Know when to avoid travel. If you are sick with symptoms of influenza-like illness, you should not travel. These symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting.

Stay home if you are sick until at least 24 hours after you no longer have a fever or signs of a fever without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.

5. Listen to a travelers’ podcast from CDC 

6. Does your health insurance plan cover medical care while you travel? It’s best to find out. Many insurance companies do NOT cover these costs.

7. For International travel, consult the embassy of the country, or countries, in your travel itinerary for information about entry screening procedures (see Web sites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions for contact information).

8. Stay informed. To learn more about healthy travel, visit Flu.gov or  www.cdc.gov/travel.