Tips for Healthy Travels

Tips for Healthy Travels

Airplanes are truly amazing inventions. They have made travel of all kinds faster, easier, and more accessible, connecting the world in ways we never thought possible. They have given humanity the power of flight, which nature tried to deny us by neglecting to give us wings of our own. And, most importantly, they allow us to explore and interact with our world, sparking curiosity, creativity, and the undying spirit of adventure.

Unfortunately, airplanes also have their downsides–and we’re not just talking about the somewhat unsatisfying bags of peanuts. Airplanes are home to hundreds of opportunities for a traveler to get sick, so if you’re planning to soar through the skies this season, there are a few things you’ll need to keep in mind.

Airplanes and Germs

Consider, for a moment, what an airplane is. These machines are giant people-movers; they confine travelers from all over the world in a very small space for a very long time, forcing these folks to share personal space, air, and two tiny bathrooms. Naturally, this can only lead to a buildup of germs and a lot of possibilities for illness to travel. Some parts of the plane are guiltier than others. The bathroom comes in at the top, ranking as the most germ-filled part of a plane–but there are other, less obvious places that carry germs, too. For example, airplane trays are often infected with viruses like influenza, while aisle seats are more likely to be germ-coated because of their location. In truth, airplanes are almost a hazard to your health–what can you do?

Healthy Tips

If you’re planning to travel, especially during the winter season, you’re likely going to be exposed to hundreds of germs. Here are a few tips to protect your health on an airplane!

• Choosing your seat. There’s more to picking your seat than just securing a good view. Sitting within two seats of an infected person raises your chances of getting sick to 7.7 percent. The middle seats offers less exposure to germs; however, you might want to consider first-class tickets to get a little more distance from others.
• Be prepared. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do to completely avoid germs on an airplane. To protect yourself, it’s a good idea to come prepared with a travel health kit–complete with medications, disinfectant wipes, germ-killer, and any other “shields” in the battle against germs.
• Contact a doctor. If you do start developing symptoms, it’s a good idea to have a opens in a new windowreliable doctor you can contact for advice or, should you need it, urgent care. Visiting a doctor is crucial not only to your health but to the health of those around you–after all, you wouldn’t want to be the one who gets everyone on the plane sick!

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