Category Archives: holiday

08Dec / 2022

#PrepYourHealth: Tips for Holiday Travel

A person packing a suitcase.

Holiday travel often includes visiting loved ones or taking a vacation. Whether you’re seeking a winter wonderland or an escape from subzero temperatures, follow these travel tips to stay healthy and safe during the holiday travel season.

Before Your Trip

No matter where you plan to travel, check CDC’s destination pages for travel health information. These pages include information about

  • vaccines and medicines you may need, and
  • diseases or health risks that are a concern at your destination.

Get up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines and seasonal flu vaccine. CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine every year.

Get up to date on routine vaccines. Routine vaccinations protect you from infectious diseases such as measles that can spread quickly in groups of unvaccinated people. Many diseases prevented by routine vaccination are uncommon in the United States but common in other countries.

Prepare a travel health kit that includes personal needs, especially those items that may be difficult to find at your destination. Take enough of your prescription and over-the-counter medicines to last your entire trip, plus extra in case of travel delays. You may also want to pack insect repellent, sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher), aloe, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, water disinfection tablets, and important paperwork like your health insurance card.

Make sure you have a plan for getting health care during travel. Find out if your health insurance covers medical care abroad. Travelers are usually responsible for paying hospital and other medical expenses out of pocket at most destinations. Consider buying additional insurance that covers health care and emergency evacuation, especially if you will travel to remote areas.

During Your Trip

Choose safe transportation. Always wear your seat belt. If you are traveling with children ages 12 and younger, make sure they are properly buckled in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt—whichever is appropriate for their age, weight, and height—in the back seat.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among healthy travelers. Be alert when crossing the street, especially in countries where people drive on the left side of the road. Find out other steps you can take to stay safe on the roads.

Protect yourself from the sun. Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher when traveling. Protecting yourself from the sun isn’t just for tropical beaches. You can sunburn even if it’s cloudy or cold. You are at the highest risk for ultraviolet light exposure during summer months, near the equator, at high altitudes, and between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Stay alert in crowded areas. Does your holiday travel involve markets, festivals, or other activities that involve a large number of people at the same place (mass gathering)? If so, learn some tips to stay safe at a mass gathering.

Considerations for cold weather travel

Wear warm clothing in several loose layers when traveling in cold weather or climates. Learn practical skills and lessons like how to prevent hypothermia and frostbite.

Considerations for warm weather travel

If you are traveling in hot weather or to a hot climate, wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.

Your chances of getting heat stroke, heat exhaustion, or other heat-related illness during travel depend on your destination, activities, level of hydration, and age. The more active you are in high temperatures, the more likely you are to get a heat-related illness. Learn how to prevent heat-related illness.

Use insect repellent and take steps to avoid bug bites. Bugs, including mosquitoes, ticks, and flies, can spread diseases such as Zika, dengue, Lyme, and others. These bugs are typically more active during warm weather. Check your destination’s page to determine what you need to do to protect yourself from diseases spread through bug bites, including medications or vaccines when recommended.

After Your Trip

If you recently traveled and feel sick, particularly if you have a fever, talk to a healthcare professional. Tell them about your travel. Be prepared to answer questions about your vaccination history, destination(s), reasons for traveling, itinerary, and other aspects of your trip.

Resources

Thanks in advance for your questions and comments on this Public Health Matters post. Please note that CDC does not give personal medical advice. If you are concerned you have a disease or condition, talk to your doctor.

Have a question for CDC? CDC-INFO (http://www.cdc.gov/cdc-info/index.html) offers live agents by phone and email to help you find the latest, reliable, and science-based health information on more than 750 health topics.

Posted by in & Prevention, flu, frostbite, General, Health, heat-related illness, holiday, hypothermia, insect repellent, personal health, Preparedness, Sunscreen, travel, trip, Vaccination

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22Nov / 2016

5 Holiday Tips for a Home Safe Home

Closeup photo of family feet in wool socks at fireplace

As the season of togetherness rolls in, regular routines roll out. You do things you don’t normally do: decorating, cooking, hosting guests (and their germs), or playing a pick-up game of football in the backyard. As you channel your inner Julia Child, Aaron Rodgers, or Martha Stewart in preparation for your holiday gatherings, here are five things you should remember:

1.      Don’t let your holidays go up in smoke

Winter is the season to put up a tree, light up the fireplace, or set out candles to decorate your holiday table. Unfortunately, candle fires are four times as likely to happen during the winter holidays. The kitchen is also a source of danger: cooking fires account for 72 percent of Thanksgiving Day fires.

  • Keep alert. Installing a smoke alarm on every level of your home cuts your risk of dying in a fire by half. Make sure to test alarms once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year.
  • Mind the stove. Keep pot holders, wooden utensils, food packaging, and towels away from the stove. Never leave the stove unattended, even for a few minutes – and turn off the burner if you leave the kitchen.
  • Blow it out. Make sure all candles, smoking materials, and fireplaces are properly extinguished before leaving the room or going to bed. Remember to unplug holiday lights too!

 2.      Beware kitchen nightmaresLet's Talk Turkey

Cutting, chopping, and busy preparations mean you’re paying attention to many things at once. Whether you’re hosting an elaborate dinner party or bringing a dish to the neighborhood potluck, keep these tips in mind:

  • Cut carefully. Use a stable surface and make sure your cutting board doesn’t slip away. Remember to cut away from your body and keep your fingers out of the way of your knife.
  • Little fingers make big disasters. Children can reach up and grab a pot or pan and spill the hot contents over themselves. Use back burners when possible and turn pot handles away from the edge.
  • Be food safety savvy. Don’t invite food poisoning to your feast. Use separate cutting boards, plates, and knives for produce and for raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs. Use a food thermometer to make sure food cooked in the oven or on the stove top or grill reaches a temperature hot enough to kill germs. In the case of your Thanksgiving turkey, that’s 165°F.

3.      Give the gift of health

Nothing brings down the holiday spirit like a case of stomach flu or a cold. Germs from a cough or sneeze can live on surfaces for longer than 2 hours and spread from person to person in close quarters. Holiday gatherings are breeding grounds for germs like the flu and the common cold. Airports, airplanes, taxis, and rideshare cars are also likely places to pick up a virus.

  • Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Hands off. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Get a flu shot. Remind your guests (6 months of age and older) to get vaccinated this year.

 4.      Bundle up!

Twice as many people die every year from extreme cold temperatures as extreme heat. If you’ll be outside, make sure you’re dressed for the weather.

  • Choose your wardrobe wisely. Wear warm winter clothes, plenty of extra layers, and don’t leave areas of the skin exposed to the cold.
  • Avoid. Spot. Treat. Learn to recognize the symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite.

 5.      Avoid the ER

Many holiday activities are things you only do once a year, like running in the annual turkey trot or decorating the outside of your house with holiday lights. Stay out of the emergency room with these tips:

  • Ramp up gradually. Your risk for a cardiac event, such as heart attack, or other injuries can go up when you’re suddenly more active than usual. Don’t just jump into that backyard football game or holiday 5K. Instead, gradually increase your activity level in the weeks leading up to the event.
  • Take your time. Be sure to work slowly when doing chores outside, like shoveling snow or hanging lights, because your body is already working hard to stay warm.

 Use these tips to prepare this season and make home the safest place of all for your family and guests. Here’s to a happy and safe holiday!

Posted by in fire safety, flu, food safety, Foodborne, Handwashing, holiday, injury, Preparedness, Prevention/Vaccination, winter weather

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01Feb / 2016

City lights, urban sprawl, and uncovering the future of ecology with Dr. Peter Groffman

8247975848_9319234b38_k-690x320“For a long time in environmental science we’ve done a pretty good job of keeping people outside the box of ecosystems” says Dr. Peter Groffman, who studies the microbial and chemical ecology of urban landscapes

Posted by in biodiversity, climate change, conservation, ecology, featured, holiday, medically unexplained symptoms, urban ecology

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22Dec / 2015

Toward a sensory ecology of luminescent noses, guest post by Nathaniel J Dominy

23156320020_c692148c23_z-640x320Above image by Annie Fischinger (creative commons license) Guest Post by Nathaniel J. Dominy, Professor of Anthropology and Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College; OpEd Project Public Voices Fellow (Full bio below this post)   Robert L. May graduated from Dartmouth

Posted by in climate change, ecology, featured, guest post, holiday, reindeer, satire

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22Dec / 2015

On the 12 Days of Science, PLOS ONE Gave to Me…

partridge-2It’s starting to get colder in San Francisco, and the year-end holidays are soon to be upon us. This has made all of us on the PLOS ONE team excited to spend some time with

Posted by in bagpipes, beetles, christmas, cows, Creative re-use, crows, dance, drums, featured, geese, holiday, jumping, milk, Olympics, partridge, pear tree, rhythm, salsa dance, science, swans, turtle doves, Worth A Thousand Words

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24Nov / 2015

Give the Gift of Preparedness

young teenage girl with shopping bags at shopping mallAs the holiday season quickly approaches and holiday shopping begins, find a gift that truly show those you love how much you care—the gift of preparedness.

infographic illustrating an emergency kit.While an emergency kit may not be on any of the top-ten big name gift lists this season, a starter kit could end up being the most important gift you give your friends and family this year.  Most of us would love to be a little more prepared, but have not made the time or don’t know where to start. Often, just taking the first step towards getting prepared is the hardest part. Give your friends and family the gift of being prepared for the unexpected.

Need creative ideas for your gifts of preparedness? We’ve got you covered with these gift ideas:

The Starter Kit

Help get your friends thinking emergency prep with a few key items to start their emergency kit. Pack the items in a small plastic storage container or water-proof bag that can be stored easily. Include the following items:

  • First aid kit (You can get a pre-made kit at most of your local drug stores or pharmacies)
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • Portable phone charger (also sometimes known as a portable battery. This charger should be rechargeable and have the ability to charge a phone without being plugged into a power source)
  • Manual can openers (and a reminder that every emergency kit should include a three-day supply of food and water)

Emergency Prep for Kids

Sometimes the best way to get families thinking about emergency preparedness is through teaching kids about the importance of having an emergency kit, an emergency communication plan, and a family emergency response plan for every disaster.

Get kids excited and interested in emergency preparedness with CDC’s Ready Wrigley activity books. You can print coloring books for disasters including, extreme heat, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and winter weather.  Help kids check-off items on Ready Wrigley’s emergency kit list with some of the following items:

  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • A battery-powered or crank weather radio
  • Small and portable games or activities that can entertain kids if they have to shelter in place or evacuate to a shelter. (Small board games, playing cards, books or stuffed animals are good items to consider).

Emergency Kits for the Road

Is you car ready for winter graphic with cartoon bird and car emergency kit suppliesFor the car-lovers or new drivers on your list, consider putting together a kit of emergency supplies they can keep in their car. Plan your gift based on local hazards. If you live in an area that gets significant amounts of snow you may consider including a windshield scraper, extra hats, coats, mittens, and blankets. For any emergency, your car kit include these basic items:

– Basic tool kit with pliers, a wrench and screwdriver

– Jumper cables (you may consider purchasing a “roadside emergency kit” from your local auto shop that also includes reflective triangle markers, gloves, and a flashlight)

– First aid kit

– Cellphone charger (either or a car charger, or rechargeable portable charger)

 

Pets and Pet Lovers

young girl with shopping bags and a pug dogRemember to include pets in your emergency planning. Whether you are thinking of gifts for your furry friends or a gift for the pet lovers in your life, put together a gift of the following pet emergency kit items:

  • Extra food and water for your pet, including an extra water and food bowl.
  • Sturdy leash, harness, and carrier to transport pet safely. A carrier should be large enough for the animal to stand comfortably, turn around, and lie down. Your pet may have to stay in the carrier for several hours.
  • Pet toy and a pet bed that can easily be stored and taken if you are forced to evacuate. (Remember to always check with your local emergency shelters before a disaster to find out which shelters take in pets).

All of these emergency packages are great gifts to help friends, family, or yourself start an emergency kit. Check out CDC’s Emergency Preparedness and You page for more tips on how to be prepared for any emergency.

Posted by in Emergency kit, General, gifts, holiday, Preparedness

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18Nov / 2015

Holiday Food Safety Tips

Homemade Thanksgiving Turkey on a Plate with Stuffing and Potatoes

Holiday meals can be memorable, but it takes more than a great recipe to make those memories happy.  Learn how to prepare your meal safely so that your holiday isn’t spent dealing with food poisoning. Below is a list of common food safety mistakes and tips for preventing them.

Scenario: After shopping to get ingredients for his holiday meal, Roberto makes three more stops before he goes home.

  • Science: Harmful bacteria multiplies when frozen and perishable food is left unrefrigerated for over two hours; one hour if the temperature is 90°F or higher.
  • Solution: Make grocery shopping the last stop before heading home. Place raw poultry, meat, and seafood in a separate bag to keep their juices from contaminating fruits and vegetables. If you won’t be home for one to two hours, use a thermal bag or cooler to keep perishable foods at the proper temperature while transporting. Learn more about safely transporting fruits and vegetables from the store to your table.

Scenario: Sasha puts the frozen turkey on a counter to thaw for five hours before roasting. Whole Homemade Thanksgiving Turkey with All the Sides

  • Science: A turkey is safe indefinitely while frozen. When the turkey is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, its temperature can creep into the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F, where bacteria can grow rapidly.
  • Solution: Thaw turkeys in the refrigerator, in a sink of cold water that is changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave. Never defrost a turkey on the counter. Learn more about methods for safely thawing turkey.

Scenario: Mark, in a hurry to get to the airport, grabs his half-cooked meal out of the microwave before it finishes cooking.

  • Science: Microwaves cause water molecules in food to vibrate, producing heat that cooks the food. Letting food sit for the recommended time after microwaving allows cold spots to absorb heat from hotter areas, cook more completely, and destroy any foodborne bacteria.
  • Solution: Know your microwave’s wattage. Follow recommended cooking and standing times, to allow for additional cooking after microwaving stops. Learn more about microwave ovens and food safety.

Scenario: Lydia hands bread to her sister, who just finished chopping raw oysters for the stuffing and hasn’t washed her hands.

  • Science: Raw seafood and raw meats may contain harmful bacteria that can make people sick. Those germs can spread to many other places, including your hands, utensils, and cutting boards, and contaminate food that won’t be cooked before it is eaten.
  • Solution: Washing your hands, utensils, and surfaces the right way can prevent the spread of bacteria to your food and your family. Learn CDC’s recommendations for washing hands.eggnog

Scenario: Jasmine uses raw eggs to make her favorite eggnog recipe for the office holiday party.

  • Science: Foods made with raw or undercooked eggs may harbor Salmonella, bacteria that can cause food poisoning and live on both the outside and inside of normal-looking eggs.
  • Solution: If your recipe for eggnog or homemade ice cream calls for raw eggs, avoid possible contamination by using pasteurized eggs or egg products, or a cooked egg-milk mixture. To make a cooked egg-milk mixture, heat it gently and use a food thermometer to ensure that it reaches 160°. Learn more about cooking with eggs and egg products.

Get More Information

Posted by in food safety, Foodborne, holiday, illness, public health, Thanksgiving

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