The holidays are a time to bring people closer together, but when traveling to your holiday destination, it may be best to keep your distance.
The combination of family visits and heavy travel increases the risk of coming in contact with the flu, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is encouraging people to take extra precautions.
“The holidays are one of the busiest travel times of the year,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a release. “People are in close contact - whether they’re on a plane, train, ship or just visiting with loved ones.”
Dr. Alfio Rausa, health officer for District III, an 18-county area including Leflore County, said people who have the flu should avoid going into crowds.
“If you have the flu, you are very likely to spread it to healthy individuals,” he said.
Dr. Rausa also said people should keep in mind that the vaccine does not offer full protection until three weeks after it’s administered.
“If they were immunized now, they could be adequately protected by Christmas,” he said. “It wouldn’t be full, but they would be adequately protected.”
The CDC launched an awareness campaign about staying healthy while traveling. It is a response to the emergence of the H1N1 pandemic, which has caused more than 4,000 deaths worldwide.
Despite the fuss over the flu this season, Mississippians are actually coming down with it less, Rausa said.
“Right not we don’t have a whole lot of flu activity,” he said. “For this time of the year, this is the lowest number of reported cases in three years.”
According to data from the Mississippi Department of Health, the percentage patients reporting influenza-like illness is 7.2 percent. Last year’s figure at this time was 9.7 percent.
According to a news release, the CDC is asking people to take the following steps:
- Travel only when feeling well.
- Get vaccinated for flu (both seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 if in a priority group).
It is not yet clear when the H1N1 vaccine will be available to the public. The state health department is issuing vaccinations to schools, universities and other priority groups including, pregnant women, children younger than 5 years old and anyone with chronic heart or lung problems.
For information about obtaining the flu vaccine, call the Leflore County Health Department cat 453-0284.
Fast facts
Reccomendations from Dr. Alfio Rausa and the CDC also include the following tips for reducing the effects of influenza while traveling:
- Prepare a travel kit. Items such as tissues, pain or fever medication, soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizer can lessen the effects of illness while you travel.
- Like mom said… Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Cough or sneeze into your sleeve instead of your hand if a tissue or handkerchief is not available.
- Wash your hands. Washing with soap, or alcohol-based sanitizer when water is not available, cuts down the transfer of germs.
- Hands to yourself. Avoid close contact with sick people. Also, keep your fingers and hands away from the eyes, nose and mouth, which are easy entry points for the influenza virus.
- Consider travel insurance. Travel insurance can cover the costs of unexpected delays that may arise due to H1N1 or seasonal flu.
