When Krissy Powell of Columbia City met Joel and Christina Hoffman of Fort Wayne, she quickly felt a huge connection – both Powell’s daughter, Madyson Stultz, and the Hoffmans’ little girl, Carley, suffered from theNEW YORK – Last spring thousands of travelers canceled trips to Mexico after a swine flu outbreak there emptied beaches and resorts.
Staying home won’t protect you now: Forty-six states have reported widespread H1N1 flu activity.
“The thought that the virus was just a Mexico problem is gone,” said Sondra Wilson, owner of several Travel Leaders travel agency locations in Washington State. “We know it’s here and all around us.”
She said her clients are booking travel to Mexico, but trips there and elsewhere are being booked closer to departure dates than in the past.
Here are some questions and answers about traveling during the outbreak.
Q. Is it OK to travel during the H1N1 flu outbreak?
A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says “some travelers at increased risk of complications from flu may want to consider postponing travel.” The agency identifies those in the high-risk categories as pregnant women, adults older than 65, babies and children younger than 5, and those with chronic illnesses. If you are in a high-risk category and must travel, the CDC recommends that you talk to a doctor about whether to take flu medications with you. If you are sick, stay home.
For more information from the CDC, visit wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/.
Q. Will I face a health screening if I fly?
A. The U.S. is not screening air travelers, according to the CDC. But you might face screening in other countries. Last spring and summer, the U.S. State Department received many reports of U.S. citizens who were quarantined in China during the H1N1 flu outbreak. In some cases, they had no symptoms but had merely been on flights that stopped in Mexico en route to Asia. For more information from the State Department, visit http://travel.state.gov/.
Even in the U.S., airlines have the right to deny boarding to passengers for any number of reasons, including sobriety, hygiene and illness, according to Wayne Harvey, president of the Airport Facilities Council of the International Facilities Management Association.
Q. How can I protect myself against swine flu? Should I wear a face mask?
A. The CDC says there is little information on the effectiveness of disposable paper face masks. They are not recommended in most settings.
The most important thing you can do is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. To protect others, use a tissue or cough and sneeze into your sleeve.
Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com, says she cleans airplane tray tables with sanitizing wipes before using them, and she avoids putting items in the seatback pocket, where previous passengers might have stored dirty tissues.
The CDC says studies have shown that influenza virus can survive on environmental surfaces and can infect a person for two to eight hours after being deposited on the surface.
Bill Miller, who handles business development for CheapOAir.com, avoids drinking out of glasses in hotel rooms, using disposable cups and bottled water instead. He also tries to stay away from breakfast bars.
