Traveling This Summer? Protect Your Health Before You Go – Kaiser Permanente

Spring is here, and summer is right around the corner. As Santa Clarita residents begin planning vacations, road trips, cruises, and international travel, health experts encourage travelers to take one simple but important step to protect their plans: getting a flu vaccine.
Even as the weather warms, the flu remains a concern—especially for people on the move. According to Kaiser Permanente, influenza circulates yearround in many parts of the world, and travel increases exposure through crowded airports, airplanes, cruise ships, and popular destinations. A flu vaccine helps lower the risk of illness and serious complications that can quickly derail summer plans.
“Travel brings people together from all over, which also means viruses have more opportunities to spread,” said Dr. Chris Raigosa, a Kaiser Permanente physician. “Getting a flu shot before you travel is a simple step that can help protect your trip and the people you’re spending time with.”
Kaiser Permanente clinicians emphasize that the flu shot is safe, effective, and one of the best ways to reduce flurelated hospitalizations and missed work or travel days. Vaccination also helps protect those most vulnerable to complications, including older adults, young children, pregnant individuals, and people with chronic health conditions. Nationwide, fewer than half of eligible adults and children receive a flu vaccine each year, despite strong evidence that vaccination significantly reduces flurelated medical visits.
Timing matters, especially for travelers. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the body to build immunity, making early planning essential. “We often see people focus on packing and logistics, but health planning is just as important,” Dr. Raigosa added. “A flu vaccine helps keep vacations memorable for the right reasons.”
In addition to vaccination, simple prevention habits—washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when sick—go a long way. For more information about flu prevention and vaccination, visit kp.org/flu or speak with your health care provider.