Maybe you've been able to avoid the swine flu so far, but next week starts the holiday travel season. The Centers for Disease Control is launching a new "Travel Well" campaign designed to help travelers avoid getting sick.
Holiday travel often means large crowds, jammed flights, and with widespread flu activity, it can also be a prime time for people to come face to face with viruses.
"Anytime people are close together, there is possibility of germs spreading," said Dr. Anne Schuchat.
That's why the CDC is launching its largest ever public awareness campaign about staying healthy while traveling. "One of the most important things people can do is travel only if they're well."
Consider buying travelers insurance in case you do get sick and have to cancel.
"I think the airlines have been flexible and have adopted flexible polices," said Katherine Andrus, Air Transportation Association. "They are carrier by carrier. They are different t for different carriers."
The Travel Well campaign will use social media, posters at airports and border crossings, television and radio ads, to advise people to stay home if they're sick, wash hands often, cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing, and get a flu shot if in a high risk group.
"We're up to 51.9 million doses of vaccine for states to order," said Schuchat.
Still not enough for everyone but health officials promise more vaccine is on the way, and the flu season could last until May. The CDC reports that flu related hospitalizations and deaths are extremely high nationwide compared to what's normal for this time of year.
Be sure to buy travel insurance at the same time you book your flight. Pandemics used to be excluded from policies but that has now changed.
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