RELATED: Never Do This on a Plane, Infectious Disease Doctor Warns. A surgical or cloth mask just isn’t enough anymore. “N95 masks are designed to create an effective seal on your face and filter out 95 percent of potential contaminants including the COVID-19 virus whereas surgical masks and cloth masks have a lower effectiveness rate of filtering out airborne viruses,” says Brynna Connor, MD, healthcare ambassador at NorthWestPharmacy.com. That said, if you can’t get an N95, a KN95 mask is also a solid option. Depending on the length of your trip, this one can be a challenge. But Dr. Connor advises not to remove your mask during your flight if you can help it. “Eat and drink before you get on the plane so that you will be more likely to be able to keep your mask on throughout the flight,” she says. For some, flying can be challenging all on its own. With the addition of a pandemic, it’s understandable if your anxiety is through the roof. While it may be easier said than done, Dr. Connor’s advice is simple: Try to remain calm. “Stress is a major factor in hindering our immune system’s ability to protect us from getting sick so staying calm is a very important puzzle piece in helping you stay healthy,” she says. “Know that you’re doing all you can to stay safe and let that serve as reassurance.” We recommend some nice, deep breaths, meditation, or reading to put yourself at ease. RELATED: For more travel tips delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. You can help protect your body before your trip just by eating the right foods. “Prebiotic superfoods help good gut bacteria grow therefore helping your immune system function properly,” says Dr. Connor. Those foods include oats, barley, asparagus, artichokes, onions, garlic, bananas, beans, and honey. Let’s face it: When you’re on a flight for hours, you want to be as comfortable as possible, and in a chilly cabin, you might be tempted to turn off the vent. With COVID, however, it’s best to err on the side of caution and leave it on. “Keep the air circulating around your seat,” says Leann Poston MD and medical advisor for Impakt Fitness. After all, ventilation has been key to reducing “the exposure of occupants to airborne infectious particles,” according to the CDC.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Yes, we know it might sound redundant at this point, but it bears repeating: You need to keep your hands clean. That means having hand sanitizer on you at all times. “One should never travel without alcohol-based hand sanitizer and at the appropriate dilution (at a 70 to 90 percent concentration) and disinfectant wipes,” says Erica Susky, Infection Control Practitioner (ICP). “The sanitizer will come in handy if one needs to adjust their mask or if they touch common surfaces in the transport vehicle.” Whether or not you’re wearing a mask, it can be hard not to touch your face at some point. But with COVID, it’s more important than ever that you just don’t do it. “People should never touch the front of their mask unless one’s hands are washed immediately,” says Susky. Because “hands are a mode of transmission for viruses directly to the portals entry viruses use (the mouth, eyes, and nose),” people risk contaminating themselves. RELATED: Never Do This One Thing on a Plane, Flight Attendant Warns.
