{"id":136725,"date":"2023-03-14T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-14T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.www.smartertravel.com\/?p=136725"},"modified":"2023-03-14T10:23:08","modified_gmt":"2023-03-14T14:23:08","slug":"avoid-norovirus-traveling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/avoid-norovirus-traveling\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Avoid Norovirus When Traveling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you\u2019re confined to a cruise ship, airplane, or other enclosed space on vacation, you\u2019re a prime target for that dreaded (and highly contagious) vacation ruiner: norovirus. But you don\u2019t have to let this nasty bug spoil your trip. Follow these tips to give yourself a fighting chance of staying healthy on vacation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pack Portable Soap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your rental home may claim to come stocked with all the essentials, but news flash: Not everyone considers hand soap a must-have. Better to be safe than sorry by packing a bit of soap to get you through the first night if you\u2019re staying somewhere besides a hotel. These\u00a0soap sheets<\/a>\u00a0are perfect for those situations, and easily kept in your day bag in case you run into a public bathroom that\u2019s out of soap, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bring Wipes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Jo Panuwat D | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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Related:<\/h3>\n

7 Things You Should Never Do On a Cruise Ship<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)\u00a0\u00a0warns<\/a>, \u201cNorovirus spreads quickly from person to person in enclosed places.\u201d That makes airplanes and cruise ships prime breeding grounds for the bug. Imagine if a person who was infected sat in your seat on the flight before you? It happens all the time. Pull out your\u00a0handy sanitizing wipes<\/a>\u00a0to disinfect everywhere they might have touched. The tray table, seatback entertainment screen, and seatbelt buckle are prime suspects. These\u00a0Lysol wipes<\/a>\u00a0come in a re-sealable travel-sized pouch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use a Sanitizing Toothbrush<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While exact numbers vary, researchers agree that the average toothbrush plays host to millions of germs<\/a>, from the flu virus to E. coli. Kill whatever lurks on yours with\u00a0this travel ultraviolet toothbrush sanitizer<\/a>, which destroys 99.9 percent of germs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m also about to give you the definitive answer to the question of whether the toilet seat should be kept up or down: Always down. As Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson\u00a0bluntly puts it<\/a>, when you\u2019re flushing the toilet with the lid open, \u201cPolluted water vapor erupts out of the flushing toilet bowl and it can take several hours for these particles to finally settle\u2013not to mention where. If you have your toothbrush too close to the toilet, you are brushing your teeth with what\u2019s in your toilet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

6 Things Not to Wear on a Plane<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Keep Shared Surfaces Clean with a Disinfectant Spray<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even if your travel partner falls victim to the Norovirus, you can still save yourself. When sharing a room with someone who\u2019s sick, spray every shared surface with a disinfectant to stop the bug from spreading. This travel-size\u00a0Lysol Disinfectant Spray<\/a>\u00a0kills 99.9 percent of germs within 30 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use an Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\u0415\u0432\u0433\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u0428\u0435\u043c\u044f\u043a\u0438\u043d | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The best line of defense against germs is to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially before eating or touching your mouth or eyes. That\u2019s not always practical when you\u2019re traveling, though. If you don\u2019t have access to soap or running water, the CDC recommends an alcohol-based hand sanitizer as the next best thing. This\u00a0eight-pack from Purell<\/a>\u00a0should last you a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro tip: If you have very sensitive skin that renders alcohol-based sanitizers impractical, you can still get some protection from the Eczema-safe and alcohol-free\u00a0CleanSmart antimicrobial hand sanitizer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

3 Incredible Money Saving Tips from a Flight Attendant<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Carry a Travel Washcloth<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Travel washcloths are popular in Japan, where paper towels aren\u2019t common in public restrooms. Wet hands\u00a0transfer germs more easily<\/a>\u00a0than dry hands, so skipping that step after a wash is a bad idea. (And it\u2019s never cool to dry your hands on your shirt.) These\u00a0travel-sized washcloths<\/a>\u00a0dry in just a few minutes and are easy to pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bring a Refillable Water Bottle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Staying hydrated keeps your immune system strong. It also keeps your mucous membranes (like your lungs or nose) moist, and therefore more able to resist viruses from entering your body. A\u00a0folding water bottle<\/a>\u00a0is easy to bring pretty much anywhere, and it helps you remember to keep drinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wear an Eye Mask and Earplugs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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milkovasa | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Another way to strengthen your immune system: Getting plenty of rest. Packing an\u00a0eye mask and earplugs<\/a>\u00a0can be the difference between great sleep and no sleep, especially on a plane or in a noisy hotel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow Caroline Morse\u2019s travels on Instagram<\/em> @TravelWithCaroline<\/a> and on Twitter <\/em>@CarolineMorse1<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When you’re confined to a cruise ship, airplane, or other enclosed space on vacation, you’re a prime target for that dreaded (and highly contagious) vacation ruiner: norovirus. But you don’t have to let this nasty bug spoil your trip. Follow these tips to give yourself a fighting chance of staying healthy on vacation. Pack Portable […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":108,"featured_media":447979,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"stpt_category":0,"stpt_post_tag":0,"stpt_st_article_types":0,"stpt_st_travel_types":0,"stpt_st_campaign":0,"stpt_st_providers":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2019-04-09T13:09:49Z","apple_news_api_id":"56198899-2481-4631-acad-4c729a617c71","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2019-04-09T13:09:50Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AVhmImSSBRjGsrUxymmF8cQ","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"[\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/ef387a4f-36f7-4c29-8f80-3dad3afa70f7\"]","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false},"categories":[3826,2241],"tags":[2301],"smartertravel_exclude_from":[],"st_article_types":[2892,3475,3466],"st_travel_types":[],"st_providers":[],"audience-tags":[],"destination":[],"departure":[],"all_publish_dates":["2016-09-08","2023-03-14"],"apple_news_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/AdobeStock_424385049-scaled.jpeg","yoast_head":"\nHow to Avoid Norovirus When Traveling | SmarterTravel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Don't let this highly contagious bug ruin your trip. 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Travel Motto: \\\"Don't be boring.\\\" Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: \\\"Aisle (when the first class private suite isn't available).\\\" E-mail her at cteel@smartertravel.com.\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"SmarterTravel","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com","push-errors":false,"title_newsletter":{"rendered":"How to Avoid Norovirus When Traveling"},"excerpt_newsletter":{"rendered":"<p>When you\u2019re confined to a cruise ship, airplane, or other enclosed space on vacation, you\u2019re a prime target for this dreaded and contagious vacation ruiner.<\/p>","protected":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136725"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/108"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136725"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136725\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/447979"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136725"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136725"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136725"},{"taxonomy":"smartertravel_exclude_from","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/smartertravel_exclude_from?post=136725"},{"taxonomy":"st_article_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/st_article_types?post=136725"},{"taxonomy":"st_travel_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/st_travel_types?post=136725"},{"taxonomy":"st_providers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/st_providers?post=136725"},{"taxonomy":"audience-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience-tags?post=136725"},{"taxonomy":"destination","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/destination?post=136725"},{"taxonomy":"departure","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/departure?post=136725"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}