Staying Healthy While Traveling This Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time for celebration, family reunions, and travel, but it also brings the challenge of staying healthy while on the go. With busy airports, crowded public spaces, and unpredictable weather, travelers face increased exposure to germs, stress, and fatigue. Staying healthy doesn’t have to be difficult, though—with a little preparation and mindfulness, you can enjoy your holiday travels without compromising your well-being.

“There are no shortage of ways people get ill while traveling,” says Dr. Sharon Nachman, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. Don’t worry, we have tips to help keep you safe and healthy while on vacation.

1. Make sure your medications are in your carry-on bag. This is a simple and easy-to-follow tip and yet many people still pack their meds in their checked bag. “In case your luggage is lost, you will have all of your medication with you,” says Dr. Nachman.
2. Check the CDC. This is another simple and easy-to-do tip, and yet it’s surprising how many people don’t do it. “Check with the CDC travel link regarding the country you’re visiting,” encourages Dr. Nachman. There’s plenty of good information on the website and it’s updated often.
3. Get your vaccinations. “Consider checking with your primary care MD, to see if they have any cautions regarding your health while away,” says Dr. Nachman. Your doctor can also give you shots for illnesses prevalent in specific countries (like typhoid). If your doctor’s office doesn’t have the vaccine, they can tell you where to get it. There are also travel-specific doctors and health centers around the country. “Everyone should be up to date with their regular vaccines, including flu, Covid, and RSV (if indicated),” says Dr. Matthew Weissman, a primary care physician and the Chair of Medicine at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.
4. Don’t forget to pack insect repellant and traveler’s diarrhea. Many people don’t realize how many diseases are transferred by mosquitoes (including malaria). Be on the safe side and pack insect repellent—there are plenty of brands that have travel-size options (3 oz or less). Also, Dr. Nachman says it’s not a bad idea to bring medication for traveler’s diarrhea. It’s better to have it and not use it then the other way around.
5. Drink bottle water. Be cautious about food and water-borne illnesses. “Consider drinking only bottled water or bringing a handheld water filter with you,” says Dr. Nachman. “Think twice about eating street food.”
6. Skip the ice. Be careful regarding the ice in drinks. “The ice made in the U.S. is from a clean water source, the ice in a plane that originates in other countries may not be so,” says Dr. Nachman.
7. Take a moment to consider your options. If you get sick when traveling, what should you do? Stop and think first, advises Dr. Nachman. Do I need to take it easy for the day, do I need to seek medical care, or do I need to get on a plane and head home? Treat each of these scenarios with planning as to what to do next. Travelers can also consider asking the hotel if they have a doctor or nurse that they can connect you with. “If you think you have an infectious illness and you are in another country, the local doctors often know what illnesses are around and how to treat them,” adds Dr. Matthew.
8. Buy travel insurance. “I travel with medical insurance to help cover costs internationally,” says Dr. Nachman. American health insurance often doesn’t cover illness and doctors’ visits when abroad.
9. Start your trip in a healthy state. “To help your immune system, I certainly recommend a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables; getting plenty of exercise; sleeping well; and staying hydrated, especially before and during the flight,” says Dr. Weissman.
10. Wear a mask. “For air travel, I worry most about the time in the airport and on a plane before they turn the full air flow on,” says Dr. Weissman. “It wouldn’t be a bad idea to wear a well-fitting mask or N95 respirator during those times.”
11. Don’t touch. “I don’t use the seat pocket on a plane because that gets used for a lot of different things and doesn’t really get cleaned out,” notes Dr. Weissman. Also, avoid touching the remote control in hotel rooms—if you’re going to use it, you can put it in a sandwich bag or wipe it with a sanitizing wipe.