Ebola is a topic of concern for traveler with international trips coming up on their calendars. Leslie Michelson, CEO of Private Health Management asked Dr. Michael Callahan his thoughts on Ebola and traveling at this time. Dr. Callahan is an associate physician in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Recently, he built an Ebola unit in Monrovia and has previously assisted over 400 Ebola patients.

According to Dr. Callahan, the symptoms of Ebola patients are very severe. At the time when they are a threat to the health of others, they won’t be able to tolerate the physical stress of flying. “They’re making lots of trips to the bathroom, they’ve been throwing up and they’re dehydrated. They’re not the people on your aircraft.”

At this time, airports across the world are searching for ill individuals to add to quarantine. Unfortunately, the early symptoms of Ebola are also the first symptoms of many common infections. It may be more important to avoid other forms of sickness to not end up in those quarantines. That means avoiding infections such as food poisoning, malaria, and dengue.

Clean your hands

Common surfaces such as a light switch or hand rail can contain remnants of blood, saliva, fecal matter, and more. An issue arises when one touches areas saturated with those bacterias and then decides to touch their face. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water. Afterwards, follow up with an antiviral hand solution. The best kind will have a minimum of 62.5% ethyl alcohol. Avoid additives like aloe, as they only conceal the virus and give it a longer lifespan.

Avoid Unfamiliar Cuisine

Regions lacking in resources are more prone to housing pathogens in their water and food. This can also lead to certain toxins and bacterias withstanding the heat of cooking. Traveler’s diarrhea (TD) becomes an issue when food like this is consumed. An individual can be throwing up within hours of eating. Stay away from undercooked meat, peel your own fruits and vegetables, and try not to eat street food.

Make Good Decisions

Be generally mindful of activities that could potentially cause you to have to go to the hospital. Try not to engage in things you wouldn’t normally do at home. New activities like windsurfing and riding motorcycles for the first time is risky. Instances such as a fever or lump in the groin is enough to find yourself in an airport quarantine. It is important for people to know that Ebola is also a sexually transmitted disease. With this new information, everyone can make better decisions that will keep themselves safe.