Avoid travel if sick: health officials
Published Wednesday October 28th, 2009
OTTAWA - People who are feeling ill should postpone travel plans and stay off planes, trains, buses and ferries, federal health officials said Wednesday.
And travel staff - from bus drivers to air cabin crews - can help quell the spread of the H1N1 flu virus by keeping a lookout for ill passengers, they add. To encourage people to stay home if they get sick, the government wants companies to cut people some slack on re-scheduling travel.
"We are asking travel companies, airlines, bus lines and others who operate public conveyances to allow Canadians to easily re-book their travel plans if they get ill," Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said Wednesday.
Dr. David Butler-Jones, the chief public officer of health, said people who feel ill but can't cancel travel might consider driving rather than flying, taking the bus or the rails.
Health officials are also sending guidelines to travel companies to help them cope with the flu virus.
These guidelines suggest regular cleaning of public surfaces in stations and vehicles and urge companies to provide hand-washing facilities for passengers and crews.
"Passengers of trains, planes, ferries and intercity buses need to feel confident," the minister said.
Butler-Jones urged travel workers to be alert.
"Crews on board planes, trains, ferries and buses should take precautions to avoid themselves becoming infected with H1N1 if they encounter passengers who are ill," he said.
"Precautions include limiting contact with ill passengers and frequent handwashing."
Health officials continue to encourage people to get flu shots.
"Get the vaccine as soon as it is available to you," said Aglukkaq. "I cannot repeat this enough."
The minister said six million doses of vaccine will have been shipped by the end of this week, with millions on the way.
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