Travelers take health precautions

BOSTON — More than half of adult travelers say they are taking more precautions against flu this year compared to last year, according to a poll conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health.

Eighty-one percent of adults who traveled by plane, bus, train or cruise ship in the past year said they will sneeze into their elbow rather than their hands on their next trip, compared to 64 percent who said they took this precaution on their last trip.

Seventy-six percent said they would bring hand sanitizer with them in carry-on baggage, compared to 61 percent who said they did so last year, and 49 percent who said they would get flu vaccine to prevent catching the flu while traveling, compared to 35 percent who said they did so last year.

The survey also found that 96 percent of travelers wash their hands frequently.

Public health campaigns have promoted these practices since the flu outbreak earlier this year.

Travelers are more worried about contracting flu in airplanes than in other modes of transportation, with 52 percent of those surveyed saying they were very concerned or somewhat concerned.