More on Flu Free Flying
Travel with your own blanket and pillow.
Not only do few airlines reliably provide blankets anymore, but the ones they do offer can harbor germs. In fact, this fall several airlines removed all blankets and pillows from flights as a precaution against cold and flu transmission. Carry a light, foldable blanket in your bag; ladies, a pashmina shawl works well. Traveling with an inflatable or foldable neck pillow is a good idea, too. If you want to conserve space, you can bring along your own pillowcase and put it over the pillow provided, but wash your hands after the switch.
Open the air vents to turn on the air.
It might sound counterintuitive, but the lack of circulating ventilation is one of the main reasons airplanes are safe havens for germs. In fact, the airline study showed that flights featuring actively recirculated air, which is filtered, had lower cold and flu transmission rates than those that didn't. Some experts advise opening the air vents above your seat as far as possible, so the blowing air can help push away the germs that might float into your space from a nearby passenger.
Close the toilet lid before flushing in plane and airport bathrooms.
Most people try to avoid touching toilet seats but don't think about the spraying action of flushing. But researchers do. In one 2005 study, researchers measured the microorganisms in the air and on nearby surfaces after the first and subsequent flushes and found that "large numbers of microorganisms persisted on the toilet bowl surface and in the bowl water, which were disseminated into the air by further flushes." And because plane bathrooms and airport cubicles are tiny, you tend to be standing much closer -- or even directly over -- the toilet while flushing. A simple solution: Close the lid first before reaching for the handle. After flushing, wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
Skip that cocktail.
Drinking alcohol on a flight not only contributes to jet lag; it dehydrates your system. And research shows that heavy drinking actually suppresses the immune system; big drinkers are more prone to infections and illness. If you usually have a drink to combat anxiety or help you sleep, consider using an alternative remedy such as melatonin or chamomile tea for this purpose.
