woman packing face masks and sanitizer to travel safely

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Quiz: Traveling During Cold and Flu Season

Test your knowledge — and learn some expert tips — on staying healthy on the road

Jaimie Seaton,

AARP

En español

Published November 03, 2022

8 Questions

Quiz: Traveling During Cold and Flu Season

[ {
  "question" : "True or False: Taking a supplement like Airborne before a flight will protect you from getting sick.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "True",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "False",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Some dietary and herbal supplements claim to boost immunity, but if you’re a healthy adult with no vitamin deficiency, these products won’t necessarily keep you from getting sick. Unfortunately, there aren’t any good ways to improve immunity other than through healthy habits like diet and exercise, says Geetika Sood, M.D., an infectious diseases expert and assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Reducing stress and increasing sleep can also be good immunity boosters.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "True or False: Wearing a mask on public transportation, including planes, can help protect you from getting the flu.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "True",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "False",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "According to Sood, wearing a mask can reduce your exposure to respiratory viruses such as influenza (flu), which then reduces the likelihood of developing an infection. No intervention is perfect, but layering precautions — flu vaccine, handwashing — reduces the chance you will get sick. Need a mask? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a mask locator where you can find free masks in your zip code.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "True or False: The air inside the plane is full of germs.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "True",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "False",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "According to the International Air Transport Association, most planes use high efficiency particulate (HEPA) filters that remove more than 99 percent of small particles, including bacteria and viruses that can make you sick.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
  "question" : "True or False: If my travel companion gets sick while we are on vacation, I’ll get sick too.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "True",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "False",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Although close contact does increase your risk of infection, your companion being sick doesn’t necessarily mean you will get sick too. Sood said that mitigation strategies like masks and hand sanitizers help reduce risk and that handwashing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick — make sure to wash your hands often with soap and water to remove germs and prevent the spread of germs to other people.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
  "question" : "True or False: It’s not safe to fly within 24 hours of getting a flu vaccine.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "True",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "False",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "It is fine to fly after a flu shot or any other vaccination, although the CDC says it usually takes two weeks to develop a robust immune response to a vaccine, so for optimal protection, get your shots at least two weeks before your trip. It’s also a good idea to wait to travel in case you don’t feel well after getting the vaccine. Side effects can include headache, fever, nausea and muscle aches.",
  "hint" : "",
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}, {
  "question" : "True or False: It’s possible for your eardrum to burst due to the change in cabin pressure while flying.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "True",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "False",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Although it’s rare, changes in air pressure can cause an eardrum to rupture. If you have discharge from your ear, feel pain or experience hearing loss during a flight, it’s a good idea to seek medical attention when you land. Ruptured eardrums usually heal within two months, but a doctor may prescribe antibiotics if you have an ear infection.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
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}, {
  "question" : "True or False: I should disinfect my hotel room when I arrive.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "True",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "False",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "While it may not be necessary for you to clean the entire room, there is no harm in disinfecting high touch surfaces — doorknobs, faucet handles, toilet flush handles — upon arrival. According to CDC recommendations, the room should be cleaned and disinfected prior to check-in, so ask your hotel about its cleaning policies.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
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}, {
  "question" : "True or False: Airlines can refuse passengers who are noticeably sick.",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "True",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "False",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Most airlines cover this in the “contract of carriage,” which passengers agree to when they book a flight, explains Ben Mutzabaugh, senior editor at The Points Guy. Though language varies by airline, the clause gives staff the ability to deny boarding to a passenger who’s visibly sick in order to keep someone who might be contagious from coming into contact with passengers and other crew members. It’s easy to think of this now as it relates to COVID-19, but this is essentially a catchall for all kinds of ailments, including the flu.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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Quiz: Traveling During Cold and Flu Season

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Jaimie Seaton has three decades of experience as a journalist, with bylines in National Geographic, Scientific American, The Washington Post and other publications.