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10 Tips to Avoid Getting Sick on Your Next Trip

10 tips to avoid getting sick

Maybe you had to deal with sick kids on your last Toronto trip and want to avoid another fallout. Maybe you’re travelling for work and don’t have the luxury of making a sick call. Maybe you’re in Ontario where the sick leave under the Employment Standards Act (ESA) is capped at a total of 3 days. No matter what the reason, getting sick during your next trip is completely out of the question.

However, based on what many may have learned from the recent coronavirus pandemic, the chances of contracting an illness increase when travelling. Between the jet lag, recycled air, and close proximity to other travellers, your immune system may take a hit. This makes you more susceptible to local germs and puts a downer on your sightseeing.

To make the most of your trip, it’s crucial you take precautionary measures to avoid picking up any bugs while you’re far from home. Here’s a list of things you can do to minimize the risks of getting sick:

1. Get Your Shots Before Leaving

Before even getting started on booking your trip, make an appointment with your general practitioner so you know you’re up to date with all your vaccinations. You never know what preventable illnesses may lie in wait at your destination. It pays to be prepared for anything.

For more specific advice, check the CDC website and trip sites to see the latest travel health notices. These notices are there to tell you about current health issues to specific destinations, which can clue you in on which vaccinations you need to take for maximum protection. You can also use these notices to make informed decisions on the safest places to visit for the trip.

2. Choose Your Seats Carefully

value of good location

Not all plane and charter bus seats are equal when it comes to cleanliness. While your seating choice isn’t necessary on your trip report, where you sit can make a big difference in staying healthy.

Prioritize window seats rather than aisle seats when buying your tickets; picking these seats can “wall” you off from germs and prevent infection. While you’re at it, avoid seats near the restrooms. People tend to crowd around those areas, making it easier to spread infections. Most sick people also tend to spend more time in the bathroom, so keeping your distance can go along way.

3. Sanitize Your Surroundings

One of the first things to do when getting to your seat or hotel room is to wipe down all the surfaces. Cleaning crews do their best, but it’s impossible to account for every area, so it pays to play it safe.

Bring antibacterial gel or alcohol wipes to wipe down surfaces like the seat arms, trays, tables, phones, and remotes. This approach may sound inconvenient at first glance, but it pays to go the extra mile. After all, you can’t put a price on good health.

4. Wash Your Hands Frequently

habit of washing hands

Washing your hands is one of the most effective measures you can take to avoid getting sick. Your hands often come into contact with plenty of surfaces (like doorknobs and railings) that can serve as breeding grounds for harmful pathogens.

In the interest of safety, you need to wash your hands frequently, particularly before eating. Ideally, you should wash your hands under warm water and use soap. However, you can also use hand sanitizer or alcohol (at least 70%) if washing with soap and water is not possible, especially when you’re out sightseeing all day.

Make frequent handwashing a habit. Start practicing before your trip to help get accustomed to washing in a more controlled environment.

5. Do Not Touch Your Face

Many people think bacteria and viruses enter solely through the mouth. The truth is, your eyes and nose are just as vulnerable. To prevent yourself from getting sick with a cold or other common illnesses, it’s a good rule of thumb to avoid putting your hands on your face or rubbing your eyes.

Exercise the same amount of caution when using a sleep mask as well. Make sure you use your own sleep so you know it’s clean and sanitary. While you’re at it, be careful where you put the mask to avoid contamination. Refrain from putting it on the potentially dirty seat or table tray on your plane.

6. Stay Hydrated

plenty of water

One easy way to stay healthy on a flight (or in general) is to drink plenty of water. Water is essential in maintaining a functional immune system. While staying hydrated is especially important in long flights, even shorter ones can dehydrate you thanks to the stale, recycled air in the cabin. Drink plenty of water to rehydrate and keep yourself feeling your best.

Additionally, if you are sick, staying hydrated can speed up healing. Proper hydration helps remove toxins from the body and refreshes it so it starts recovering.

7. Stick to Bottled Water

drink bottled water

When travelling overseas, people tend to get sick after drinking local tap water. Local water typically has a multitude of bacteria that can cause bad reactions if your body isn’t used to it. That’s not to say the water is bad, your body simply has not built up immunity to foreign microbes.

To avoid upsetting your body’s balance, stick to bottled water for the duration of your stay. Bottled water is much safer and less likely to cause a bad reaction. Alternatively, you can also invest in a reusable water bottle with a built-in filter. This is a greener, more cost-effective option you can use even after you’ve settled back home. Many airports also offer water bottle filling stations where you can refill your bottle — a much cheaper solution than buying new bottles each time you get thirsty.

8. Watch What You Eat

It’s vital you watch what you eat, especially when you can’t be certain of the food’s safety. Sometimes, maintaining a well-balanced diet is key to keeping your stomach feeling fine. Always make sure your food is cooked through and served hot to determine that it’s safe to eat.

When eating fruits and vegetables, stick to eating those that you’ve washed and peeled yourself to ensure maximum cleanliness. It can also help to pack portable food for extra convenience, particularly when you’re on the move for much of the day (like when you’re on a bus tour).
full night sleep

9. Get Plenty of Sleep

Along with hydration, sleep is one of your body’s best methods for preventing illness. One good rule of thumb when travelling is having enough time for a good night’s sleep every night.

Travelling to other countries can often throw off your body’s natural rhythms, which can make it harder to get back into your cycle. Give yourself a day to recover for each time zone you cross to readjust your cycle. There are some other tricks you can use to reset your body clock, including getting some sun exposure and doing some light exercise.

10. Pack an Emergency Kit

In case the worst happens, it helps to have some emergency supplies to help deal with unexpected situations. Make an emergency travel health kit and take it with you. Pack your kit with basic first-aid equipment like bandages, as well as broad-spectrum antibiotics and antivirals in case you come down with something.

Finding health care can be difficult in a foreign country, and a first-aid kit can prove an invaluable tool in case of an emergency. While you’re at it, consider investing in trip insurance for additional support.

If you’re planning a trip (to nearby Vancouver or past the Canadian border), it pays to look for lines that put your needs first. At Parkinson Coach Lines, your comfort and safety are always our top priority. We subject our fleet to stringent cleaning and disinfecting protocols to maintain a high level of cleanliness. Avoid sick days; contact our Ontario bus company at (905) 451-4776 for your trip planning and charter bus needs.