No one enjoys being sick, and that’s especially true when you’re on vacation. Baylor College of Medicine’s Dr. Irvin Sulapas gives his tips on how you can stay healthy so you can relax and enjoy your vacation.

“We are having a bad cold and flu season, so it is really important to remember to practice good general health hygiene so as to not get sick or spread germs,” said Sulapas, assistant professor of family and community medicine at Baylor and primary care sports medicine physician.

To stay healthy, Sulapas recommends following these tips:

•Practice proper handwashing.
•Make sure to cough into your sleeve or elbow to prevent the spread of germs.
•Bring a small hand sanitizer with you, especially if you are traveling on a plane.
•Bring disinfectant wipes as well. You should not only wipe down your plane seat, but also the seat handles and/or the table where you are sitting while waiting to board your flight.

If you are headed to the beach for vacation, you should practice basic skin health, such as wearing sunscreen, Sulapas said. You also should make sure you have proper shoes to wear to the beach, such as flip flops, to prevent you from stepping on anything that could cause a cut to your feet.

Sharing towels also is not a good idea, especially if you know someone is sick, he said. Not sharing glasses or beverages is an easy way to avoid getting sick as well.

“If you follow these simple tips, you should be able to enjoy your time away and not worry about getting sick,” Sulapas said.