Health tips for Spring Festival holiday

Have you made travel plans for the upcoming Spring Festival holiday? Health issues should not be underestimated if you have. Here are some tips for a healthy trip during the traditional Chinese festival from experts at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Priority risk alerts

I. The relatively high-risk infectious diseases in the Chinese mainland during the 2020 Spring Festival include seasonal influenza, human-infected avian influenza and norovirus-infected diarrhea. The risks of food poisoning and carbon monoxide poisoning should also be noted.

II. The risks of respiratory infectious diseases and contagious diseases, such as seasonal influenza, will be increased by means of closed transportation, rapid increase in crowd sizes and frequent exposures. China's seasonal influenza activity is strong this year and is still at its peak.

III. There are increased risks of food-borne diseases and food poisoning due to more opportunities for dining together or eating out during festivals. Pay attention to food safety and prevent food poisoning and infectious diarrhea.

IV. If you are travelling abroad, pay special attention to risks of Ebola virus, respiratory infectious diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, cholera, norovirus-infected diarrhea, and mosquito-borne infectious diseases such as dengue, Zika virus and yellow fever.

How to identify and prevent the risks?

1. Seasonal influenza

Facts:
Seasonal influenza activities usually remain at a high level during the Spring Festival and flows of population and intimate contacts will increase the risks of respiratory infections.

Seasonal influenza is transmitted through foam, such as close coughs, sneezes, close conversations, and exposure to items contaminated by patients.

In addition to fever, cough, sore throat, fear of cold, it may also lead to headaches, generalized muscle and joint pains and extreme fatigue. In most cases, it is self-healing and not serious, but in a small number of severe cases patients can die of respiratory failure or multiple organ failure.

Main high-risk groups are the elderly, young children, pregnant women and those with chronic underlying diseases.

How to prevent seasonal influenza:
I. Keep indoor air fresh.
II. Try to avoid crowded places.
III. When coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with paper towels to avoid droplet transmission.
IV. Frequent wash your hands and prevent dirty hands from touching your mouth, eyes, and nose.
V. If have fever, cough, and pain in pharynx, wear a mask and see a doctor immediately. Reduce contact with others and try to stay at home.

Please also remember:
Vaccination is one of the most important preventive measures. It is recommended that children aged 6 months to 5 years, adults aged 60 or above, patients with chronic diseases, medical staff, family members and caregivers of infants under 6 months, pregnant women or women anticipating pregnancy during the influenza season should be given priority immunization.