ATLANTA — Families and friends gathering this Thanksgiving will share lots of love, good food and maybe a little swine flu.
Swine flu has become a defining illness of 2009, and it may well play a role this Thanksgiving. Federal health officials, who’ve seen a recent decline nationally in the illness, worry that swine flu could increase over the holiday.
So what can you do to make this a happy and healthy holiday? “The first step is to travel well,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “That means travel only when you’re well.”
Dr. David Propp, a staff physician at the Emory Clinic in Atlanta, recommended that people wash their hands often. Packing some hand sanitizer for a trip is a good idea, he said.
In general, it’s a good idea to keep your hands away from your face and eyes, as touching them can transmit the virus, he said.
