- Wash your hands often – It is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce the spread of viruses. Handwashing with soap reduces acute respiratory infections by approximately 17% in meta-analyses of controlled trials. Handwashing is also more effective than alcohol-based hand disinfectants for reducing viral contamination. Most winter viruses are respiratory and therefore not usually transmitted on surfaces. Those little alcohol wipes they give you on the airplane to wipe down the surface have limited benefit. Your best bet is to wash your hands and mask when appropriate (see below).
- Use Effective Masks When Needed or in High-Risk Areas – N95 and KN95 masks are most effective in preventing COVID-19 or other respiratory viruses. The evidence is clear that recreation-related venues or indoor environments with poor ventilation and close contact increase risk of transmission. For travel it is not unreasonable to mask in an airport or train station especially while boarding a plane or train or standing online at security. While it is not completely necessary for everyone, if you are worried about getting sick, using an N95 or KN95 is a reasonable precaution.
- Consider Vitamin C supplementation Wisely – It’s not a cure and the evidence is mixed. Prophylactic vitamin C supplementation does not reduce the incidence of respiratory infections in the general population, but it may provide modest benefits that can reduce the duration or severity of a cold when taken regularly. Taking Vitamin C after cold symptoms appear does not appear to be effective in reducing the duration of a cold. Will it hurt you? No. Is it a foolproof way to stop a viral illness? Also no. There is actually stronger evidence to suggest that nasal saline rinses prior to viral exposure or early in the infection can shorten the duration and severity of the illness. These are readily available at your local pharmacy or on amazon.
- Stay Up to Date on Vaccines – As of November 2025, seasonal flu activity in the US remains low, but is increasing primarily among children. The Influenza A virus, predominantly A(H3N2), is most frequently reported so far. The most recent projections are predicting a highly infectious and dangerous flu season. The CDC continues to recommend that everyone ages 6 months and older receive an annual flu vaccine. We continue to generally recommend getting a COVID booster this fall since COVID-19 vaccines substantially reduce the risk of COVID-19 infections. Of course, if you have questions about whether this is right for you, please contact us. If you are going to travel, remember that a vaccine starts to be effective 2 weeks after it is administered.
- Prioritize Good Sleep – Sleeping less than 6 hours a night impairs immune function and your ability to fight an infection. People with chronic sleep issues are 4 times more likely to catch the flu. Long story short, get a solid 7-8 hours a night minimum even while traveling to set yourself up for success.
References:
Ross, I., Bick, S., Ayieko, P., Dreibelbis, R., Wolf, J., Freeman, M. C., Allen, E., Brauer, M., & Cumming, O. (2023). Effectiveness of handwashing with soap for preventing acute respiratory infections in low-income and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet, 401(10389), 1681–1690. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(23)00021-1 PubMed
Thompson, H. A., Mousa, A., Dighe, A., Fu, H., Arnedo-Pena, A., Barrett, P., Bellido-Blasco, J., Bi, Q., Caputi, A., Chaw, L., De Maria, L., Hoffmann, M., Mahapure, K., Ng, K., Raghuram, J., Singh, G., Soman, B., Soriano, V., Valent, F., … Ferguson, N. M. (2021). Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) setting-specific transmission rates: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 73(3), e754–e764. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciab100 PubMed
Kim, H. (2023). The public health impact of poor sleep on severe COVID-19, influenza and upper respiratory infections. [Journal Unknown — from PubMed]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37301713/ PubMed
Hemilä, H., & Chalker, E. (2007). Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3), CD000980. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD000980.pub4 PubMed
Kal, Y., & van der Veen, L. (2015). Saline nasal irrigation for acute upper respiratory tract infections. [Journal Unknown — from PubMed]. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25892369/ PubMed
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Yellow Book: Health Information for International Travel. https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/index.html CDC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, November). Weekly US influenza surveillance report: Key updates for week 46, ending November 15, 2025. FluView. https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-46.html CDC
Lin, D. Y., & the Study Group. (2022). Association of primary and booster vaccination and prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 outcomes. JAMA, 328(9), 889–899. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2022.17876 jamanetwork.com+1