Avoiding The Common Cold From The Airplane

It is extremely common to catch a common cold, flue or even worse, while flying in an airplane. The last thing most people need to realize that they have the flu or a common cold when they return home, or even worse is to realize that they are not feeling well on the trip.

There are many different theories why people have a higher risk of catching colds/flues on commercial airlines. One reason is the air in the airplane cabin is very dry. Dry air irritates the mucous membranes, and the mucous membranes shields the body from harmful germs that can cause the human body to become ill. It does not help much that a commercial plane, people sit very close together, sometimes for many hours doesn't help matters.

One thing that I always wondered about is how often do the airlines wash the pillows and the blankets? How often do the airlines give a really good cleaning to the seats that we sit on? Some people don't even cover there mouth when they cough? and they sneeze all over the place? It seems to me that that is one way people get sick on the plane.

The good news is that there are things that you can do to prevent from getting sick, or at least lessen the chances of catching the unwanted common cold or flu.

  1. Bring your own pillow, and blanket. It is worth the extra effort. I don't think most people want to use a blanket or pillow that some one coughed, and/or sneezed all over, or even breathed gems all over.
  2. Drink plenty of liquids such as water, juice, tea etc. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
  3. Drink hot drinks such as herbal tea, or hot water with lemon, and soup.
  4. Wash your hands, if possible wash your hands with antibacterial soap.
  5. I heard that it is recommenced to open the door to the bathroom with a tissue, and turn on the faucet with a tissue too.
  6. Use a antibacterial mouth wash, during the flight, and after the flight.
  7. A face mask might be a good idea if you can keep in on your face. I know a lot of people hate face masks.
  8. Ask your doctor about vitamins or other treatments that you can use to prevent illness while flying.