Is the air quality on commercial planes really that bad? Can nasal spray keep you healthy? Dr. Abinash Virk, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Travel and Tropical Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, separates fact from fiction when it comes to healthy travel:
Fiction: Air on commercial planes is unfiltered and likely to make you sick.
According to Dr. Virk, the air on a plane is cross-sectionally circulated and is HEPA filtered more than some hospital rooms. "The chance of getting something from someone on the plane is very low unless you're sitting next to someone who is sick," Dr. Virk says. "If you're sitting in row 10 and someone in row 35 is sick, you're not going to get it."
Fiction: Saline nasal spray will clear your nose of germs.
Saline spray can help prevent itching and nose bleeds by keeping the nasal passages moist, but it's not particularly effective at blocking or killing germs. "It's more of a comfort thing than a particular prevention issue," Dr. Virk says.
Fiction: The high doses of vitamin C in some cold prevention supplements can be bad for you.
Dr. Virk says Emergen-C and other vitamin-packed cold prevention potions can be a good idea. "High doses of vitamin C have been shown to be helpful in treating colds," Dr. Virk says, "It's not going to harm you."
Fact: You are more likely to pick up germs in an airport than on an airplane.
"Overall, the chance is higher to pick up [germs] in the airport than on the plane itself," Dr. Virk says. It's important to remember to use alcohol hand sanitizer on the plane as well as in the airport, especially when touching hand rails, door knobs, etc.
Fact: Getting enough sleep can help keep you healthy.
"People should not be sleep deprived when they're traveling," Dr. Virk says. "Sleep is really important to make sure you're healthy, and you'll have a lesser chance of getting sick."
For more information: smartertravel.com, "Doctor, Doctor! Reader Remedies Put to The Test."
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