It’s officially flu season: Here's how to avoid getting sick on a plane

It's officially that time of year. Temperatures are dropping, hot tea is flowing and flu season is here in full force. But that's not the only illness looming over travelers this holiday season.According to Dr. Waleed Javaid, epidemiologist and professor of medicine at West Virginia University, "Currently, there is a mix of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). Other common illnesses include norovirus and bacterial infections like E. coli. As we enter the colder months and holiday gatherings, respiratory infections are on the rise due to increased close contact and indoor activities."Thankfully, we learned much about mitigating sickness while traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic. "COVID taught us the importance of hand hygiene and boosting immunity through lifestyle practices," said Dr. Taz Bhatia, a board-certified integrative medicine physician and medical adviser to the cold and flu medicine brand Genexa. Many precautions you learned to stop the spread of COVID-19 should also help protect you from seasonal influenza, according to Healthline (which is owned by TPG's parent company, Red Ventures).The last thing you want is to...