The good news is, we’re heading into the holidays, and for many of us that means traveling to share good times with loved ones and friends, or maybe to spend some time on a beach. The bad news is, it’s also the season for winter illnesses.
According to a MarketWatch survey, 61% of Americans plan to travel at least once this holiday season, with 36% flying to their destination. So a lot of us will be standing in long lines at the airport and sitting in close quarters with relatives and friends.
So what should we know before jumping on a plane, and how can we protect ourselves and others from holiday-season maladies? We took our questions to Larissa Pisney, MD, an associate professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Colorado Department of Medicine and medical director of infection prevention and control at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital.