Thanksgiving 2024 was the busiest travel day ever in the USA, with more than 3 million air travelers passing through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport screen checkpoints. And that’s just the beginning of what is always a bustling time of year for flying—a period that coincides with cold, flu, COVID, and RSV season.
“To improve your odds of staying healthy for the holidays, this is the time to tighten up: Wear a mask indoors, get that air moving, and certainly get vaccinated if you haven’t already,” Dr. Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist who is a scientific consultant to the White House and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said in her newsletter “Your Local Epidemiologist.”
In a CDC statement on the current state of respiratory diseases in the United States at the end of November 2024, the agency noted that COVID-19 remains low in most areas, while seasonal influenza and RSV cases are starting to increase, predominantly among children. The United States is also experiencing in 2024 the highest levels in more than a decade of pertussis (otherwise known as whooping cough), a highly contagious bacterial disease that affects the respiratory tract.
For those heading into the holiday travel fray, the uptick in virus activity brings about two sets of potential health concerns. First, there is the concern about getting sick before or during a trip. Second, there’s the concern about making others sick.
The good news is that we have a lot of tools at our disposal to combat transmission, many amassed during the pandemic. We can also prepare our immune systems for success ahead of the holiday travel season. The CDC offers several tips for how to improve our bodies’ natural defenses.
How to enhance your immunity
- Make healthy eating decisions: Limit saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, and sugars. Shanina Knighton, a professor at Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, recommends incorporating “immune-boosting foods like ginger, citrus, and leafy greens” whenever possible.
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water, especially on long flights and in hot climates.
- Exercise and reduce your stress: Physical activity has numerous health benefits and can also boost immunity by reducing stress and anxiety. You can also try practicing mindfulness, deep breathing, or doing other relaxation techniques to keep stress levels in check.
- Get a good night’s sleep: Rest is crucial for keeping your immune system strong. The CDC reports that “sleep loss can negatively affect different parts of the immune system,” which can “lead to the development of a wide variety of disorders.”
- Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol or caffeine consumption: Each of these activities can weaken the body’s ability to fight disease.
Other actions to help stay healthy this holiday season
In addition to helping our immune system do its job, here are some other things travelers can do this holiday travel season to improve their chances of healthy getaways and gatherings.
Get your flu shot and COVID booster
The CDC strongly encourages everyone six months or older to get their yearly flu vaccines and update their COVID vaccine booster. The agency also recommends all adults ages 75 and older (or adults ages 60 to 74 who are at increased risk) get a RSV vaccine. And, especially with the increased number of whooping cough cases, anyone who hasn’t previously had a Tdap shot (which also protects against tetanus and diphtheria) is encouraged to get one. Boosters, according to the CDC, are not necessary.
“Getting yourself and your loved ones vaccinated will help keep all of you healthy during the holiday season and into the new year. If more Americans are protected against severe respiratory illnesses, we will likely see fewer hospitalizations. Lives can be saved,” the CDC has previously stated in 2023.
The agency added that “vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of severe illness from respiratory diseases, including young children, older adults, people with underlying medical conditions, and pregnant people.”
Marlee Bruno, founder of Mind Body & Soul Medical, said if you do get vaccinations or boosters, try to schedule them “at least two weeks before your trip to give your body time to build immunity.”
Mask up while traveling
While masks are no longer required on trains, airplanes, or in airports and other transport hubs, for those who want to protect themselves from viruses that might be circulating on the plane, at the airport, or in any common spaces, infectious disease experts recommend continuing to mask up.
“You don’t know who you are going to be sitting next to on a plane. You don’t know if that mild cough is allergies or if they are coming down with COVID, RSV, or influenza. You just don’t know. And then you’re going to be sitting next to them for a while,” says Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious disease at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
“I don’t like to get sick,” adds Blumberg. “That’s why I think it’s more important than ever for people who really do want to stay healthy and decrease their risk—they should continue to mask.”
The CDC, for its part, notes that “traveling can bring you in contact with people from many different places where viruses are spreading. Using public transportation and being in transportation hubs such as airports, can involve spending long periods of time in areas that may be crowded or poorly ventilated. This increases your chance of exposure to respiratory diseases.”
The CDC advises that wearing a mask during travel can help protect others who might be more vulnerable, including babies under 6 months of age, those over age 65 years, and anyone with a weakened immune system.
Pack immune essentials
It is also a good idea to bring (and use) alcohol-based hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes while in transit. On a plane, wiping down common areas like tray tables, seat belt buckles, seat backs, arm rests, or any other high-touch areas can help prevent the spread of germs.
Bruno also recommended bringing a personal “health arsenal,” including vitamin C and zinc supplements (as both vitamins are known for their role in supporting a healthy immune system), electrolyte packets (to help stay hydrated), and first-aid basics, such as pain relievers and decongestants.
Reduce your risks (and the risks you pose to others) prior to travel
Dr. Jetelina emphasizes that when it comes to holiday travel, she is “laser focused on those 65-plus. If we’re going to go see grandpa, we’re going to be extra careful that week before. Meaning we’re wearing masks everywhere, we will do cadence antigen testing, [we’re] trying to do anything to break that transmission chain for those older folks. And that’s not just [for] COVID. That’s flu, too, that’s RSV as well.”
Use those at-home COVID tests
The holidays are a good time to dig out those stockpiles of COVID home tests (but make sure they have not expired). Epidemiologists advise using them before heading out and bringing some with you during your travels. Dr. Jetelina recommends testing two days before departure and again on the morning of any event or gathering, such as Christmas dinner or New Year’s Eve.
Embrace the great outdoors
Fresh air and ventilation continue to be our friends when we are hoping to reduce transmission risk. Prior to travel, epidemiologists recommend either avoiding crowded indoor spaces altogether or masking up while inside, for instance when heading to the grocery store. If the weather is conducive to hosting meals or celebrations outdoors, this is another way to reduce risk.
Be flexible with your travel plans
Despite all our best efforts, there is the possibility that we will get sick before, during, or after our travels. That means we need to be prepared to cancel or alter our plans at the last minute. It’s better to make peace with this possibility and have built-in safeguards for it than to blindly hope for the best.
Have a contingency plan for whatever the fallout may be for a not going on a trip, as well as a plan for if you get stuck in your destination for several extra days with COVID or a nasty flu. Depending on the complexity of the trip, look into options like adding Cancel For Any Reason coverage to your travel insurance plan so that you can recoup some of your losses if you need to bail at the last minute due to illness. All of the major U.S. airlines are still without flight change fees for all but their Basic Economy fares, so if you need to cancel, you can bank the money you spent on flights as future flight credits for a redo when you or the others in your crew are feeling better.
This story was originally published in November 2022, and was updated on December 9, 2024, to include current information.
