Swerving Germs

Gastrointestinal problems are one of the most common travel ailments.  Germs don’t discriminate – they can be present in poorly prepared food and drink, or lie undetected on any number of surfaces we touch every day. An upset stomach is the surest way to feel extremely ill – the severity of it can stretch from mildly irksome to catastrophic, requiring specialist medical care and travel disruptions.

Germs lurk unseen everywhere and while you can’t get too paranoid, there are a few surfaces which history tells us are likely culprits.

Take a plane for example – every day thousands of people from all walks of life embark and disembark in close proximity; coughing, sneezing and not always washing their hands thoroughly.

Studies have found nasty germs – from E. coli (that can cause severe diarrhoea) to MRSA bacteria (that’s resistant to many antibiotics) in all sorts of places on a plane, where they can live for days at a time.

Nothing is entirely avoidable, and airlines do their very best to clean the aircraft between flights. However, if you have room in your carry-on luggage for antibacterial cleansing wipes, use them in the following places – they are an inexpensive way to increase your chances of arriving at your destination without any nasty ailment to ruin your experience.

Armrests

E. coli can live on surfaces for up to 96 hours – if it does get onto your hands, it’s possible to infect yourself by touching your face (particularly eyes and mouth).

Tray tables

As when you are at home, washing your hands before a meal on a plane is a good idea, as is giving the tray table a precautionary wipe down. Tray tables are handled regularly by so many people, it’s impossible to keep them constantly clean.

Inside door handle of the toilet

People touch surfaces more frequently on a plane to assist their balance. Furthermore, not everyone may be as fastidious as you about hand washing. Use a paper towel to cover the door handle or flush button to keep your hands clean once you have washed them. It’s never a good idea to touch the toilet seat of a public toilet if you can avoid doing so.

Tap handles 

Germs thrive in damp conditions. It’s fair to say that anywhere you are sharing public surfaces, there is a risk of infection. Be mindful of where you place handbags, keys etc in these areas, particularly if you are travelling with small children – sometimes they chew and play with bag handles and keys – let’s keep kids as healthy as possible, for everyone’s enjoyment!

Blankets and pillows

Flight attendants confirm that blankets and pillows are usually placed fresh on the plane every morning, but may be re-folded and re-used on every other flight for the rest of the day. If space allows, take your own light blanket and travel pillow.