Wherever you go when you travel, it's likely that you'll spend some amount of time with others in enclosed spaces. Planes, trains, subways and buses are an inevitable part of daily travel. It is when we sit or stand in close proximity to our fellow commuters that we must remember how easily germs are passed from one person to another. Add to this the millions of bacteria that remain on seats, windows, door knobs and handrails and you've got a recipe for illness in nearly every public place.
One way that you can keep yourself and others from getting sick is to carry a handkerchief with you at all times. If you feel the need to sneeze, cough or wipe your nose, don't rely on your bare hands to keep the germs from escaping. Simply pull out your handkerchief and cough into it rather than into your fist or elbow. A handkerchief will keep any saliva or mucus contained and away from other people until you have a chance to wash it when you get home. If you prefer facial tissue, use one tissue and throw it away. This also helps reduce the risk of spreading germs to other people and the surfaces we touch regularly.
Whenever and wherever you can, always wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water to clear your skin of microscopic dangers like the flu virus. Be sure to clean thoroughly under fingernails and between fingers in addition to the backs of your hands. These are areas that are often neglected and can harbor the types of germs that make us all ill. Sometimes, when you're out and about, there simply isn't a convenient place to wash your hands. In these cases, a good alternative is an alcohol based hand sanitizer. Keep a small bottle in your purse, briefcase, pocket or car and apply as needed to ward off sickness throughout the autumn and winter flu season.