Getting sick in Japan

Commuters wear masks as precaution against swine flu at Sannomiya station, Kobe, western Japan, Tuesday, May 19, 2009. Japan confirmed 20 new swine flu cases overnight to brings its tally to more than 150, health officials said Tuesday, as the government considered scaling down quarantine checks at airports while focusing on its domestic outbreak. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) ** JAPAN OUT MANDATORY CREDIT FOR COMMERCIAL USE ONLY IN NORTH AMERICA **

I hate getting sick. I haven’t taken the flu shot for many years and I completely forgot how insanely crowded Japanese trains gets during the rush hour in big cities. *Insane*. Also, this is a flu season and I really should have gotten the flu shot before going to Japan..

Oh Well..

Anyways, I got back from Japan a couple of days ago. I was having a minor sore throat and then I started to feel really nauseated..then I got fever and then now I just cough a lot. I don’t think I have the flu. If I did, I would have had a high fever.

Luckily, I didn’t really get sick while traveling Japan. If you are traveling Japan during winter, you definitely want to take precautions to avoid getting sick. We can’t avoid getting sick as it’s just part of life..but there are things we can do to minimize the chances of getting *really* sick.

1. Wash your hands frequently!

Make sure you wash your hands frequently. This will prevent you from being exposed to germs. Wash your hands before touching your objects. (wallet, phone, computer etc etc).

2. Carry hand sanitizer everywhere..

I forgot to bring my hand sanitizer to Japan for this trip. I have my hand sanitizer everywhere in Southern California and I hadn’t gotten sick even when many of my colleagues were really sick in the office. I don’t know how effective hand sanitizer is but it somehow worked well for me. Since you may not always be able to wash your hands quickly, use your hand sanitizer after touching ticket vending machines, bathroom door knobs, anything on the train..It is best to wash your hands with soap and water but at least, use your hand sanitizer.

3. Stay away from sick people..

Well, this sounds like common sense but it is really difficult to avoid *people* who are sick when traveling Japan. We use public transportation to get around big cities in Japan and trains are full of germs and viruses. But if you notice really sick people on the train, try to stay away from them. (I know this isn’t always possible as it’s super crowded there.)

4. Wear surgical masks on the train.

I should have thought of this. You will be surprised to see the number of people wearing surgical masks in Japan. People used to wear these masks when we were sick but things are a little different now. People wear masks to avoid getting sick in the first place. Japanese people often spend over an hour commuting to work by train and that means that you are likely to be exposed to germs other passengers are carrying.

5. Avoid crowded places and trains in Japan.

You want to make the most out of your travel but if you can avoid crowded locations, please do. For example, try not to take the train during rush hours. (The weekday rush hours are between 8am and 9am in the morning and shortly after 5pm in the evening.)

6. Don’t travel during flu season.

I know this may not be so practical. I wanted to visit my family in Japan in November because of my work schedule and it worked out. I usually visit them between June-September and I have never gotten cold for the past eight years or so.

7. Get a Flu Shot

Flu vaccinations are easily available even at drug stores in the US and it’s worthwhile to get a quick shot for your own health. It is best to get a flu shot every year..as soon as I recover from this nasty cold, I am getting a flu shot.

8. Practice good health habits. Sleep well, eat healthy and exercise moderately..and take supplements.

Also, buy travel insurance before you go to Japan..of course, we never want to be sick while traveling abroad but things happen and we do get sick or need to go to the doctor urgently in Japan.