Getting Ready For That Big Vacation?

Here’s why you don’t want influenza to wreck your carefully-laid out plans

The holiday season is finally here! If you were having a busy year, then you certainly are looking forward to that big vacation you had planned meticulously for. After all, just like everyone else, you can’t wait to trade your formal shoes or heels for summer flip-flops or winter boots and spend some much needed time with your family in a relaxing environment.

So, your highly-anticipated day finally arrives and you’re all packed and ready to go. You board the plane excitedly, check into your hotel upon arrival and begin your first day of holiday, sight-seeing. Then, after completing that delicious dinner and wrapping it up with dessert, you happily head to bed ready for more adventures the next day.

Now, just imagine, the next morning you awake with a scratchy throat. As uncomfortable as it was, you go ahead with the day’s activities. Then to your utmost horror, by nightfall you have a raging fever which makes your teeth chatter. While you shiver under the covers, your head is pounding, your body aches and you just lay in bed without an ounce of energy.

Unfortunately, you can barely sleep due to that persistent cough and annoying fever. But since your fancy local tour package for the day is non-refundable, you can’t cancel it as the money would be wasted. So, your family goes ahead forlornly without you while you stay behind alone and sick in your hotel room.

Surely at this point, all you can think about is the horrible misery you are in, how you can’t stop coughing and why the fever continues to spike despite taking paracetamol and cough syrup. This has already turned into a classic traveller’s nightmare. Surely things can’t get any worse, you wonder. But it sure does.

While desperately hoping to get better, your health takes a downward spiral. You are now feeling seriously ill. You climb out of bed weakly and stumble into a taxi to see a doctor. Much to your dismay, the local doctor doesn’t speak your language well and you spend a frustrating 30 minutes explaining your symptoms. Finally, the doctor calmly concludes that you caught the insidious flu virus. So, you return to your hotel with a mini pharmacy in your bag.

It’s been 3 miserable days since you arrived at your holiday destination but you feel no better. Your fever is still raging and you feel extremely weak. Your family is now troubled by your deteriorating health and they rush you to the hospital. After enduring the hassle of paperwork for insurance claims, you are finally admitted and treated. So, you spend 2 days in hospital, feeling ill while watching endless foreign-language soap operas. Nothing is more depressing than that.

After a couple of days, your condition somewhat improves and you are discharged from the hospital. You feel much better but you only have a day or two left. So you spend the few precious hours sight-seeing with your family. Your holiday had turned into nothing more than an expensive tour of foreign pharmacies, clinics and a hospital. Still looking for the bright side of your holiday? You will probably feel fine on your return flight to Malaysia.

It’s not the common cold, it’s influenza (flu)

As we all know, travelling is a truly enjoyable activity. But nothing ruins a holiday more than falling sick and having to suffer through it. Yet, you would often see many people travelling with the flu as it’s too inconvenient and expensive to postpone flights or reschedule hotel and tour bookings. So, these people who are ill then spread the flu virus to those around them.

Influenza or flu is one of the most common infectious diseases among travellers¹. It is caused by the notorious influenza (flu) virus and is not the same as the common cold. Those who are affected by the flu often have symptoms such as high fever, coughing, sneezing, and body aches². To make matters worse, droplets from the cough or sneeze of the infected person can remain on solid surfaces for up to 48 hours³. So, you have a higher risk of catching the flu even before your holiday begins.

In tropical countries such as Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries, the influenza virus circulates throughout the year, whereas in countries with four seasons, influenza usually peaks during the autumn and winter months¹.

Don’t take the flu lightly

When you travel as a family, it is important to be mindful of your children or elderly parents’ health and wellbeing. They are particularly at risk of developing serious complications from the flu including pneumonia, ear infection, meningitis, or even death if not promptly treated⁴.

Children below 5 years may not have a fully developed immune system while an older person’s immunity weakens due to ageing^5,6. Additionally, if your elderly parents suffer from existing health problems such as diabetes, heart or lung disease, the flu could make their health condition worse⁷. So, not only would your holiday be ruined by the flu, you also risk racking up huge medical bills from the medication and hospitalisation.

Stay protected with influenza vaccination

While it’s almost impossible to stay away from people with the flu during your travels, you can still ensure you are well protected against it. In fact, the first item in your pre-holiday to-do list should be to consider getting a flu vaccination for yourself and your family members.

Vaccination has been shown to be effective in reducing visits to the doctor by 34-44%⁸. Among children, it can reduce hospitalisation by a whopping 75%⁹. For older persons, flu vaccination reduces hospitalisation by 29% and death by 49%¹. For those who are concerned about their health when returning to work, flu vaccination can reduce workdays lost due to the flu by 32-45%⁸.

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), America, everyone above the age of six months should receive their flu vaccination every year. The flu vaccination helps your body build immunity against the circulating strains of flu virus in that particular year. However, it is well-established that flu virus continuously mutates. Besides, different regions have different strains of flu virus. So, by getting an annual flu vaccination, you can be sure that your vaccine works effectively against the common virus and the mutated strains².

You should also take the flu vaccine at least 2 weeks before your scheduled trip so that your body has sufficient time to develop the antibodies and fully respond to the invading flu virus. Some children between 6 months and 8 years may require 2 doses of the vaccine, 4 weeks apart, if they were never vaccinated before. So, speak to your paediatrician to ensure your children are properly vaccinated before your vacation begins¹¹.

Lastly, basic personal hygiene can also help keep the flu at bay. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If it’s not available, use a hand sanitiser instead. Avoid unnecessarily touching your eyes, nose and mouth as this is how the flu virus can spread and infect you. You could also wipe and disinfect common items such as the food tray in the plane or even touch screen devices before using them³.

So, before saying your good-byes to neighbours and colleagues, remember that a vacation can only be as exciting as having great health. Stay protected from the flu with your influenza vaccination so that you can have a fun-filled time in your sun-and-sand getaway or winter escapade.