Swine Flu Travel Information

April 29, 1:11 AMCarolinas Travel ExaminerPaul McDaniel

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Mexico City (Paul McDaniel)

All the talk about swine flu (or swine influenza, or H1N1 Influenza) and the threat of a possible global pandemic these days may have you thinking twice about your upcoming travel plans and wondering what to do. Depending on where your travel plans are taking you, you may or may not need to reassess your trip. Mexico, of course, is the hot spot and source of the current swine flu outbreak and a number of organizations are suggesting travelers avoid all non-essential travel to Mexico. However, you must ultimately make your own judgments regarding the nature of your trip, your actual destinations, and your transit points. Seek out as much information as possible early on and throughout the course of your travel preparation and throughout your journey as well. 

Airline Travel and Swine Flu: 

A number of airlines have waived certain fees (such as ticket change fees) for travelers holding tickets to certain cities in Mexico. U.S. Airways (with its large hub at Charlotte Douglas International Airport) for example announced the following statement, effective through May 8, 2009: 

“In response to the recent health concerns in Mexico, US Airways is taking precautions to ensure the well-being of our customers and employees. US Airways is providing a one-time option to re-schedule or re-route if you are ticketed and traveling to, from or through one of the cities listed. We will waive the standard change fee, advance reservation and ticketing requirements. See our revised ticketing policy for rules and restrictions. Call 800-428-4322 for more information. You can move your entire itinerary up to fourteen days before or after the scheduled origination date. You can apply the full value of your wholly unused tickets toward the purchase of a ticket to an alternate destination, although travel must originate within fourteen days of the scheduled origination date. US Airways will waive the change fee for a one-time change more than 14 days from the original travel date.  All other fare rules will apply.” 

The cities affected by this statement from U.S. Airways, effective through May 8, 2009, include: Acapulco, Mexico (ACA); Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico (SJD); Cancun, Mexico (CUN); Cozumel, Mexico (CZM); Guadalajara, Mexico (GDL); Guaymas, Mexico (GYM); Hermosillo, Mexico (HMO); Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo, Mexico (ZIH); Manzanillo, Mexico (ZLO); Mazatlan, Mexico (MZT); Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (PVR). 

U.S. Airways flies non-stop from Charlotte to the following cities in Mexico: Mexico City (MEX), Cancun (CUN), and Cozumel (CZM). 

Official Travel Advisories: 

The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains a page relating to international travel and health, with particularly pertinent information concerning swine flu. They do NOT recommend restricting international travel, but suggest persons feeling ill should delay their travel and persons feeling ill upon completing travel should seek medical attention. 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends that U.S. travelers avoid all non-essential travel to Mexico. See the CDC Swine Flu Travel Information page for more pertinent information. 

The U.S. Department of State issued an updated travel advisory for Mexico on April 28, 2009. 

The European Union’s Health Commissioner, on Monday April 27, advised Europeans to postpone travel plans to the United States and Mexico due to increasing cases of swine flu. 

Swine Flu Prevention: 

Follow these steps provided by the CDC to take preemptive and preventative action in order to avoid contracting swine flu if you are traveling to an area of risk or you feel you may be around others who may have been infected:

• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze. Throw any tissue away immediately upon use.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, particularly after coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth as germs are easily spread this way.
• As influenza is thought to spread primarily from person to person via coughing or sneezing by infected people, avoid persons who you know to have flu-like symptoms.
• The CDC recommends that if you do become ill, you should stay at home from school or work and should minimize contact with others to avoid further spreading the illness. 

Swine Flu Symptoms: 

Finally, it is important to become aware of the swine flu symptoms so that if you are traveling you can determine whether or not you should visit a doctor or seek medication. The CDC outlines the symptoms of swine flu in people as “similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.” 

• World Health Organization, Swine Flu Alerts
• CDC Swine Flu Information
• CDC Travel Information about Swine Flu
• U.S. Department of State, Mexico Travel Advisory
• Pan American Health Organization, Swine Flu Information
• Secretaría de Salud, Gobierno de México
• European Union, Swine Flu Information
• U.S. Airways
• U.S. Airways Swine Flu Travel Advisory
• Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Catedral Metropolitana, Mexico City (Paul McDaniel)

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