If you’ve ever thought that it seems like you get sick every time you take an airplane somewhere, you might not be mistaken. In recent studies conducted by scientists on the lifespan of different types of germs, results showed that some deadly pathogens are hardy for seven days or longer inside an airplane. Understanding the life span of germs on airplanes can help you take action to stay healthy whether you’re taking a trip across North America or across the world.

Types of Germs and Their Airplane Lifespans

Medical researchers at Auburn University took samples of E. coli and MRSA, germs which cause illnesses ranging from diarrhea to severe skin wound infections, and placed them on common areas in airplanes such as seats, trays, seat belts and handles. The scientists discovered the MRSA germs lasted for up to seven days on the cloth seat pocket with the magazines, and the E. coli persisted for four days on the armrest. The scientists found that the germs were most easily passed to human skin when they were on a plastic surface. Meanwhile, researchers from the University of Arizona found MRSA on the food trays of at least one in every four flights.

Where Germs Lurk on Airplanes

Just like in other environments where people spend time, germs are present on just about every surface in an airplane. While airline staff do their best to sanitize the plane’s cabin between flights, not every germ gets removed. Moreover, during a long or crowded flight as well as during peak cold and flu season, there simply may be more germs to go around. Germs are common on airplane surfaces including the flip-down trays, arm rests, seat back pockets, toilet flushers and window shades.

How to Stay Healthy During Air Travel

As soon as you set foot in the airport, you’ll need to take precautions against germs. Try to touch as few surfaces as possible. Once you’re on the plane, get out your stash of antibacterial wipes and thoroughly swab each surface around your seat. Concentrate on the areas your hands, food and drinks will touch. These include the safety belt, arm rests, tray table, seat pocket, window shade and overhead compartment bin. Bring along a TSA-approved size of personal hand sanitizer to use when accessing the restroom is not convenient for hand washing. If the people seated near you are sneezing or coughing, ask if it’s possible to switch seats to a place where no one is obviously sick. You may also want to avoid having drinks poured by airline staff and instead opt for the bottled water that’s still sealed. Bring your own snacks that don’t have to be placed onto the tray table, and avoid putting personal items into the cloth seat back pockets.

Preparing for a Healthy International Trip

Before boarding an aircraft for an international trip, visit a travel health clinic where a travel health specialist will help you determine whether you need any vaccinations or travel immunizations for your destination. A pre-travel health exam can help determine your overall health and whether you’ll need any medications such as anti-malarial drugs for your trip. Travel health specialists also offer expert guidance on how to pack travel supplies for optimal health. You may need items such as sunscreen, mosquito repellant, a water purification kit, anti-diarrheal medications and first aid supplies for your destination.

Sources:
Centers for Disease Control: Infectious Diseases Related to International Travel: E. coli
ABC News: Are Airplane Seats a Ticket to Infection?
Forbes.com: Planes Can Harbor Deadly Infections for 7 Days, Study Shows

A new CDC report on the 2013-2014 flu season shines a surprising light on certain parts of the nation. Last year, 46.2% of the US population were vaccinated against the flu, but some states and demographics fell way below that national average.

One standout was Utah where only 41.5% of the population received a flu shot. At five percent below the national average, Utah’s vaccination rate is nowhere near the worst in the nation, but what is going on with younger individuals in this state is far more surprising. The flu vaccination rate in children ages 6 months to 17 years old was 9% below the national average.

Why are so many children in Utah going unvaccinated? And, why is the same thing happening in Idaho?

Indeed, the state most famous for its potatoes is 13.4% below the national average for child vaccinations, nearly double its deficit for adults which sits at 6.9% below average.

It is troubling that in both states, a large number of adults are deciding not just to forego vaccinations for themselves, but also for their children.

Meanwhile, states such as New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island are far above the national average vaccination rate, and 12 to 19 percent more children living in these areas receive flu vaccines than their counterparts out West.

Although the CDC has not released any reasons for the vaccination gaps among various locales, questions need to be asked. Is this an East vs. West difference? A difference in availability? A difference in culture? Or simply a difference in parenting?

We’d like to hear from you, so please leave a comment on why you decide to get your child a flu vaccination and why you think these differences might exist.

To schedule your own flu vaccination, contact one of Passport Health’s flu specialists at 1-888-499-PASS (7277).

Whether you’re taking an international trip for business or pleasure, the last thing you want to do is risk your health and financial future by being unprepared for a medical emergency. Illnesses, acute conditions and injuries can occur anywhere and happen to anyone at any time. You can help protect yourself by considering health and travel insurance policies specific to your trip.

What Is Travel Health and Medical Evacuation Insurance?

There are three main types of travel-related health insurance to consider for your international trip. These include:

• Travel health insurance. If you have a chronic medical condition, this type of insurance helps to ensure that you’ll receive the same high-quality care you’d expect at home in North America.
• Medical evacuation insurance. If you suffer from an injury or sudden acute event such as a heart attack, medical evacuation insurance covers the cost of transportation to get you to medical facilities with the high standard of care you’d receive at home in the United States or Canada.
• Trip cancellation insurance. Perhaps a hurricane, civil conflict or a personal issue in your life has gotten in the way of your trip. This type of insurance reduces your financial losses from canceling your plane tickets, lodging and other travel-related expenses.

Who Should Get Travel Health and Medical Evacuation Insurance?

Even if you’re healthy, stay active and have no known medical conditions, insurance is still a good way to protect yourself. One fall on a hiking trail and your necessary evacuation on a medical helicopter or private jet to a hospital could set you back tens of thousands of dollars without the right type of insurance. In some places around the world, you may have to pay the cost of your treatment and transportation on the spot before any service is provided. In the event that you are unable to complete the duration of your trip, travel health insurance and medical evacuation insurance may reimburse you for your expenses. Without these insurance policies, you could be taken to a subpar facility without the medical services, diagnostic equipment, supplies and treatment that you require. Obtaining adequate travel and international health insurance coverage helps to ensure that you’ll get the care you need at a place with exemplary standards of care.

Preparing for a Healthy International Trip

Taking a few steps before you depart on an international trip can help ensure you’re ready for the rigors of this type of travel. A pre-travel health consultation with a travel health specialist can ascertain whether you’re in need of any vaccinations. You can also receive preventative medications, such as anti-malarial drugs based upon your travel destination, and tips on packing for a healthy trip. You’ll learn which over the counter medications, first aid supplies, mosquito repellant, sunscreen and water purification kits will help keep you healthy.

With the right travel health steps and proper insurance policies, you keep yourself firmly in charge of your health. Especially if you are traveling on a mission trip, doing medical volunteer work, or engaging in extreme adventure travel, be sure you are prepared for any eventuality!

Sources:
Centers for Disease Control: Travel Insurance, Travel Health Insurance and Medical Evacuation Insurance
Petergreenberg.com: Why You Need Medical Travel Insurance
Petergreenberg.com: Your Checklist for International Travel

A recent report out of Germany shows that a new polio strain that killed 209 people in the Congo in 2010 might be able to overcome current polio vaccinations.

In a study conducted at the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, researchers found that this new strain changes its form “at a decisive point,” making it resistant to some of the common polio vaccines.

Researchers isolated the virus from several fatal cases and then tested it on the blood samples of 34 medical students at the University of Bonn. Between 15% and 29% of the test samples were entirely unprotected from the mutant strain, despite being vaccinated against polio previously.

It is estimated that anywhere from 20% to 30% of the students sampled could have been infected by the new strain of the virus. However, it is possible that the vaccine would still have helped their immune systems combat the disease.

This finding comes four years after the initial outbreak of the new polio strain in Pointe Noire, Republic of the Congo, and confirms what initial research stated. Nearly half the victims of the outbreak were immunized at birth.

While no instance of this new strain has been found in the United States (or anywhere in the developed world), it is something to be aware of that could affect future research.

For more information on the polio vaccination and how you can protect yourself and your family, please contact a Passport Health travel medicine specialist.

Immunization has long been recognized as one of the most efficient, successful, and cost-effective health investments in human history. Studies prove that immunized children have higher cognitive abilities, are more likely to attend school, and are more likely to go on to be productive, healthy adults than their un-immunized counterparts. Unfortunately, even with this compelling evidence, 23 million children, mainly in the developing world, are still not vaccinated against life-threatening, common, preventable diseases. Due to the lack of access to some of the most basic vaccines in these poor and remote communities, precious lives are unnecessarily taken. Every child born, no matter the location of his or her birth, has the right to have the opportunity to live a healthy life, and GAVI Alliance avers that vaccines are the best way to assure this basic human right to life.

In the year 2000, global immunization rates were stagnating, and nearly 30 million children were born every year in developing countries without full access to routine immunizations. In order increase access to life-saving and health preserving vaccines, a unique public-private partnership was created with the help of numerous skilled immunization specialists; the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) was born. The Alliance’s mission was (and continues to be) to save children’s lives and protect global health by increasing access to immunization in the world’s poorest countries. GAVI has brought together low-income countries, donor governments, the WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and other private philanthropists and influential individuals into one decision-making body. Working together, these Alliance members have been able to achieve goals no single organization could realize on its own and have made significant strides in closing the gap between children for whom immunization is a given and the millions of children worldwide with no access to basic vaccines. Each partner has brought something different and critically important to the effort to immunize children in the poorest countries, and, together, they have been able to make a huge difference in the world today.

Since GAVI was founded, the partnership has significantly increased immunization coverage and improved the health systems in over 70 countries. By focusing on funding immunization programs in low-income countries and supporting the strengthening of national health systems, GAVI has been able to ensure vaccines for meningitis, maternal neonatal tetanus, yellow fever, measles and other diseases reach individuals in need. The way GAVI works is quite unique, and the Alliance focuses on building on country commitment. Countries that are eligible for GAVI support take the lead by determining what their immunization needs are, applying for funding, and overseeing the implementation of their vaccination programs. GAVI requires that recipient countries contribute towards the cost of the vaccines with GAVI’s co-financing policy. By doing this, ownership of the program is strengthened and long-term sustainability of immunization programs is created. Involvement of recipient country governments and organizations in the vaccine programs demonstrates a strong commitment to improving the health of their populations.

Currently, GAVI is finishing up a second five-year strategy to support its mission and assist developing countries to immunize an additional quarter of a billion children by 2015, potentially saving four million more lives. This strategy, which began in 2011, has four main goals, all of which support GAVI’s overall mission: accelerate the uptake and use of underused and new vaccines, contribute to strengthening the capacity of integrated health systems to deliver immunization, increase the predictability of global financing while improving the sustainability of national financing for immunization, and to shape vaccine markets. This strategy also includes a series of programmatic targets and a range of indicators to monitor the progress towards fulfilling GAVI’s mission.

Since GAVI was founded, over 440 million children had been vaccinated due to the Alliance’s work, saving over 6 million lives. With the help of direct contributions, public-private partnerships, and caring individual donations, GAVI is able to continue with its commitment to save and protect millions more lives around the world. As new opportunities arise to prevent additional diseases, GAVI plans to continue making additional vaccines available and hopes to prevent more than 11 million child deaths by 2030.

To make a donation to the GAVI campaign, please visit this webpage, and click here to learn more about the Alliance in general.