What to keep in mind while traveling this holiday season

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As travelers fly out ahead of New Year’s Eve, more flight delays mean bigger airport crowds.

“It’s unfortunate that during the season when there’s a lot of infectious diseases around, you bring people together in sometimes tight spaces, and in fact, you’re gonna have transmission of viruses,” said Dr. Mark Epstein, CEO of True Health New Mexico.

A tripledemic of the flu, COVID-19 and RSV has already put a strain on local hospitals — and staying longer in an airport can make matters worse, especially for young children.

As airlines see more delays, that means more time for passengers to be exposed to another person who may already be sick. Even though masks are not required, health officials highly recommend wearing one if you plan on flying out.

“The studies show that when you use masks, the viruses are transmitted less frequently, less easily,” Dr. Epstein said. “That goes for most respiratory viruses, so that’s COVID, RSV, flu.”

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