Doctor’s Travel Tips to Stay Healthy This Flu Season

This post was originally published on here

Every traveler knows the struggle when traveling in the winter. You take a flight, and a few days later, there’s a tickle in your throat—the flu or Covid strikes again. To help you avoid getting sick on your next trip, we spoke to Robert Hoke, MD, an emergency medicine physician for Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, to find out how travelers can stay protected as they journey through germy airports, hotels, and public spaces this season.

Early signs suggest this season may be moderate to severe, Dr. Hoke says, given early numbers and the high severity of last year, so preparation is key. He stresses getting vaccinated, washing your hands, and covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze to avoid the spread of germs. In addition to these three basics, you can pack a few key essentials to keep you feeling well. Read on for the doctor-recommended travel essentials you can stock up on for your next trip to stay healthy through cold and flu season, including face masks, hand sanitizer, and more.

Top Doctor-recommended Travel Essentials for Flu Season

A quality face mask

Dr. Hoke says that physical barriers to the mouth and nose will always lower the transmission of germs. “If you’ll be in higher-populated or confined areas, consider wearing a mask, especially if you have any other medical conditions that make you more susceptible,” he adds. Look for a CDC- and NIOSH-approved N95 mask, like this pack of 20 masks, for the highest protection possible.

Plenty of hand sanitizer

We all know there’s not always soap and water readily available on the road or in the air. “When you can’t physically wash your hands, keeping a small hand sanitizer or wipes can help,” Dr. Hoke says. The CDC recommends hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol, like this eight-pack Purell option, which is made with 70 percent alcohol to kill 99.99 percent of germs. It comes in a pack of eight, and the travel-friendly hook means you can attach the bottle to your bag for easy access on the go.

Disinfecting wipes

If you’re going to be sitting in one area for a long period of time, Dr. Hoke recommends swiping high-touch surfaces—like airplane seats or hotel doors—with a disinfecting wipe. These antibacterial wipes come in 20-count packs of three, so you can toss one in your suitcase or purse and forget it until you need it.

A personal water bottle

Skip the public water fountain next time you’re at the airport—any surfaces other travelers touch can harbor cold and flu viruses. “Water bottles or anything that can prevent you from using contaminated surfaces can help as long as you make sure they’ve been cleaned,” Dr. Hoke says. One of T+L editors’ most-trusted water bottles is the easy-carry Hydro Flask that’s conveniently 20 percent off right now.

Over-the-counter medications

Dr. Hoke says that while the most practical and useful items he swears by are hand sanitizer and a mask, he also travels with a small pack of go-to, over-the-counter medications like pain-relievers and anti-nausea pills. While Dr. Hoke isn’t able to speak to specific brands, some that fall under those categories include a combo pack of DayQuil and Nyquil, which is a popular flu-reliever with nasal decongestant and cough suppressant, as well as a travel-size Tylenol, which you can pop in your pack for minor aches and pains.

More Travel Essentials for Cold and Flu Season:

A portable air purifier

If you really want to go the extra mile, consider protecting yourself with a rechargeable portable air filter you can wear around your neck, whether you’re on a bus or train or crowded tourist venue. The AirTamer brand claims to reduce flu by 99 percent within 20 minutes of wear. It also operates for more than 150 hours on a single charge and comes with a carrying case.

Airplane seat covers

Sure, it’ll take an extra minute to set up, but an airplane cover ensures there will be one extra layer of protection between you and the germs that were left on your airplane seat. This SquEqu version is both lightweight and disposable, which means no-fuss set-up.

A vitamin C supplement

Loaded with health-boosting ingredients like vitamin C and zinc, some travelers swear by Airborne’s immune support supplement, calling it “effective” and a “travel essential.” It’s important to note there’s no scientific evidence that it prevents cold or flu, though it has earned 4.8 stars over 20,000 ratings at Amazon, meaning lots of happy shoppers. One of these reviewers said they take it as soon as they start to feel symptoms and feel it works to “nip the illness in the bud.”

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.