Immunosuppressed + Traveling: How I'm Handling the Threat of Coronavirus

​Written while wishing I was back on a beach in Hawaii.........

I just got back from the most relaxing trip I think I have ever taken. It was also the most needed vacation! Matt and I met my mom on Oahu and we spent a little over a week getting a big dose of R&R at Disney's Resort, Aulani. That is a whole amazing experience to share, but in this post I want to talk about what is lingering over our heads these days when we talk about travel. Coronavirus.

We had planned this vacation far before the threat of coronavirus crossed our minds, but of course as the outbreak and fear heightened, it was very much on our radar to consider when traveling. Especially being immunosuppressed, these are things that I have to worry about. Flying during flu season already peaks my anxiety and requires extra precautions, but a potential worldwide pandemic... yikes. We have to keep in mind that my travel decisions were made a month ago now and the virus/spread has evolved since then. I had to make decisions based on the facts I had and the advice from my doctors. My gastro gave me the green light to continue with my travel plans, since the flu still seemed to be much more of a threat. I was to still move forward with my regular precautions and things should be fine. Matt and I weighed our options and made the decision that we were still going to go.

Since I've been back, I've chatted with quite a few people who have upcoming travel plans and are in the same exact debate we were in just a month ago. Should they go or not? I am in no way a medical professional so all I have are my opinions. The kind of scary thing though is that is lot of the advice that is being given out by medical professionals, opinions. We are finally getting some hard facts or the spread and fatality of coronavirus, but without the depth of studies we have on other viruses, advice stems from opinions. That being said, you have to make the decision for yourself on whether or not you will travel. For me, we weighed a lot of things before deciding. Once we made the decision that we were going, I did everything in my power to research proper sanitation and prevention protocols so we could feel confident we were doing what we could to avoid the virus. If you are traveling in the near future and are looking for some tips, that is what this post is here for. I've done posts before about staying healthy while traveling (vitamins, hydration, etc.) but I have never highly focused on disease prevention, until today. You have probably read similar things on the CDC website, but I'm sharing the specifics on how I navigated the situation in hopefully a lot more interesting and easy to digest way. 

WHAT TO PACK
Don't fail to be prepared here! It is better to have some extra items instead of being the one begging fellow passengers for a Clorox wipe. For this trip here are things I brought......

Large pack of Clorox wipes- I went for the large pack because I could use these to wipe down our hotel rooms too. Make sure to store the package in a plastic bag to avoid any leaks in your carry on or purse.

Multiple hand sanitizers - I opted for one easy access bottle on my husbands backpack and a spray sanitizer for my purse. Having the easy access one is perfect for busy locations (like the airport). The spray is super user friendly and very kid friendly since you are less likely to get a ton of extra product on their hands. They also barely have to even rub it in.

​Face masks - I know there are mixed findings about whether these are effective in preventing the spread of coronavirus, but I always opt for a mask while flying during fly season. To me, being immunosuppressed, it is worth the extra precaution. These can be difficult or expensive to get your hands on now, but you can try asking your doctor's office if they have one or two they can give you for your trip. This may not work, but it is worth a shot. Luckily we always have a supply of these in our home (who would have ever thought Crohn's would lead me to possess one of the world's hot commodities?!).

Socks- I know I am usually talking about how I need my aloe infused spa socks for long flights. Well, those are still preferred but being completely serious here, you need just any pair of socks, on your feet, at all times. I will explain as we go through things.

Pillow + Blanket- BYOB. Bring your own blanket. You do not want to be asking for the pillows and blankets they give out on flights. As sanitary as you may feel they are, I am not trusting it. You know you are going to have that thing next to your face for the duration of your flight while you try to snooze, so do yourself a favor and bring your own. I found this travel pillow/blanket on Amazon for around $20. It worked out great, and now I can wash it upon returning home and use for my future trips. 

GOING THROUGH SECURITY

Okay, so you're in the airport, checked in, hopefully you sanitized after using the touchscreen kiosks, and now you are entering security. I made the mistake of not taking my jumbo pack of wipes out of my bag before going through TSA. They are totally cool if you bring them, just make it easier and separate them for your other belonging before sending them through the x-ray machine. Also, PLEASE WEAR SOCKS. You are walking on a floor that so many toes have been on. Give yourself a barrier and at least wear some socks while you take your shoes off to go through security. Once you pick up your belongings make sure to sanitize your hands. At this point I also wiped down my cell phone. Those things are nasty.

BEFORE TAKEOFF

Once you get on the plane and get to your seat, the real fun begins. Whip out those Clorox wipes and get to cleaning. Airlines do the best they can to clean up in between flights, but let's be real, they are not sanitizing every seat. That's your job! Make sure to wipe down the seat, the tray table, the seat belt, the seat belt buckle, armrests, your air vent, and if you are sitting next to the window, the window and the wall. I know this potentially sounds excessive, especially the window/wall part, but listen up... how many times have you caught yourself on a flight with your head against the wall while in the window seat taking a quick nap. Your face is very close to that window and that wall, okay? From what I've read, the best seat for optimal air circulation (hopefully less germs) is the window seat. This in flight positioning also gives you the least contact to other passengers which will help prevent picking up germs. So grab that seat and get to sanitizing. Also, make sure to put your mask on.

WHILE IN FLIGHT

Relax, take a nap, watch a movie. Just remember to try and keep your hands off of your face, sanitize before eating, and sanitize after coming back from the bathroom even though you've already washed your hands. Also, do not go barefoot frolicking through the plane. This is a personal issue I have with unsocked feet on planes, but it also a medical concern. Socks are a barrier between your feet and all of the germs swirling around on the airplane floor, so wear them! I still always put on shoes if I am getting up to walk to the bathroom though. Utilize your self provided pillow and blanket instead of the airline issued ones. Also, make sure to keep your mask on as much as possible (aka whenever you are not eating or drinking).


As I said before, I am by no means a medical professional, these are just the precautions I took during my most recent travels. There is really no full proof way to prevent you being exposed to coronavirus, but we have to do what we can. Even if we weren't on the verge of a worldwide pandemic, these tips would still be relevant for preventing the spread of disease in general. Now more people are just tuned in!

Immunosupressed or not, I am interested in hearing your take on the coronavirus and its impact to travel. Are you worried? Do you think the news has over hyped things? What, if any, extra precautions are you taking?


xx

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