Travel
CDC Kicks Off National Travelers' Health Public Awareness Campaign
By
Nov 19, 2009 - 3:08:47 PM

Effort Aims to Educate Travelers about H1N1

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Every holiday season, millions of Americans travel through the nation's airports, seaports, and train stations to spend time with loved ones. Special holiday get-togethers - and traveling itself - bring people close together but also provide an ideal way for illness to spread. To help travelers avoid the flu this holiday season, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention today launched its largest ever public awareness campaign about staying healthy while traveling.

"The holidays are one of the busiest travel times of the year," said Dr.
Anne Schuchat, director of CDC's
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. "People are
in close contact - whether they're on a
plane, train, ship or just visiting with loved ones. This campaign
provides practical advice to help travelers
prepare for their trips and stay healthy during their holiday travel."

CDC is urging people to take the following steps when planning their
travel and to stay informed about what to
do if they get sick while they're gone, including:
* Traveling only when they are feeling well
* Getting vaccinated for flu (both seasonal flu and 2009 H1N1 if they
are in a priority group)
* Washing hands often
* Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve

"We know that flu - and specifically H1N1 this year - is a big concern
for people, but flu shouldn't ruin the
holidays," Dr. Schuchat said. "By practicing a little prevention, people
can enjoy their holidays and stay well at
the same time."

CDC developed the campaign in response to the emergence in April of the
2009 H1N1 flu pandemic. Since
then, flu has spread throughout the country and around the world. In the
United States, it has accounted for
millions of cases and more than 4,000 deaths since April.

CDC launched the campaign at a joint event with Homeland Security
Secretary Janet Napolitano today in
Washington, DC. The campaign will run through the holiday season and use
a variety of media, including
informational posters at major airports, ports of entry and border
crossings; national radio and print advertising;
and social media and online outreach. CDC will also partner with local
health departments, travel professionals,
health care professionals, and colleges and universities to further
educate the public. Campaign themes include
"Prevention can be Travel-Sized" and "Stop, Wash and Go."

For more information about the CDC Travelers' Health campaign,
recommendations regarding travel, visit
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/content/novel-hin1-flu.aspx. For more
information about the H1N1 virus, visit
www.flu.gov.

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