Surviving the Pan-decade: How to avoid COVID/ConFlu while traveling
As a knowledge worker in the field of Information Security, there are few things more frightening than losing my mental faculties as a result of catching an airborne virus. As such, I’ve mostly avoided traveling since the pandemic started for fear of acquiring symptoms that occur with Long COVID 🤒
The position I’ve held these last five years has been that science would eventually figure out the prevention and treatment problem. I believe we’re now at a point where science is catching up, and—with reasonable precautions—that I can safely travel again.
I’ve personally benefitted from using the methods shared in this post on two separate trips this year. On one of those trips, my wife and I unknowingly had dinner with a group of people that turned-up COVID positive (with symptoms!) just a few days later. We tested negative for the seven days following this news, and never became symptomatic 👍
Disclaimer: in this post I discuss the science behind all of the things I do to mitigate against (and prevent) infection while traveling. And while I am not a medical professional—I believe in science.
A negative CorDx Tyfast combined COVID+Influenza A/B test
The basics
First, let’s discuss a few simple (and hopefully by now, obvious) things you can do.
Start by giving your body the best chance at fighting-off an infection by aiming to vaccinate around 2-3 weeks prior to travel (and get re-vaccinated every ~6 months) 💉 This simple act will provide you with the best defense should any of the methods shared in this post degrade or fail with time. Viruses continue to evolve, and as security professionals we understand it’s all about applying a “defense in depth” approach.
Next, be mindful of areas where you’re likely to breath recirculated / shared air (like an airplane). Breathing shared oxygen is always risky, but you can use an Aranet4 to detect when carbon dioxide (CO2) levels go above 800 ppm—which is a strong indication that you’re sharing oxygen. When CO2 levels exceed this threshold I mask-up 😷 Using an N95 mask as your primary line of defense is a great way to significantly reduce your odds of infection. There’s also the option of a slightly-less effective KF94 mask, which is what I personally use due to better fitness with the shape of my face.
Either way—if you’re wearing an ear-loop mask, I recommend using 3D Printed “ear saver” mask straps that rest at the back of your head/neck and hold the ear straps in place. These little things are clutch when it comes to comfortably wearing a mask for long periods of time (like when you’re on a plane) because the ear straps don’t rest on your earlobes👂 One of the fringe benefits of combining an ear-loop mask with these gadgets is that you can more easily transition between being masked or unmasked—especially if you’re a person that wears glasses.
Beyond airborne viruses like COVID-19, there are also viruses that linger on surfaces—such as influenza. Washing your hands regularly before eating has always been a good idea, but you can take it a step further by remembering to also regularly sanitize your phone 📱 I usually keep several packets of Sani-Hands on me while traveling for exactly this reason.
Tactical tips
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s discuss a few things that seem obvious in retrospect—but will require some situational awareness to achieve.
One of the greatest risks from traveling comes with eating and drinking 🍔 Restaurants are often crowded, have poor ventilation, and are a high-risk choice when it comes to COVID. There are a few things you can do to reduce the risk, such as positioning yourself in a location with decent airflow—which means outdoor seating, near an entrance, or someplace you can crack a window. Preferably you’re seated away from other people in any of these configurations—but anywhere you can sit with increased airflow works in your favor.
If none of these options are available to you, the next best thing you can use is a personal HEPA air purifier. I bought the Medify Air MA-10 back when they were still being manufactured, and honestly wish I had bought a second one—unfortunately they now seem to be made of unobtanium 😞 Regardless, using an Aranet4 to track CO2 levels and powering-up that personal air purifier while eating near other people are both great ways to reduce your risk of infection.
Also—as more of a general “pro tip”—avoid eating seafood when you aren’t close to an ocean. And even when you are close to an ocean, avoid eating “filter feeders” (oysters, clams, shellfish, etc.) 🦐 for a minimum of 7 days after major rain events. These creatures consume all sorts of chemicals from stormwater runoff, which can lead to food poisoning if you’re not careful.
Staying safe while unmasked
Scientific research over the last year has discovered new techniques for preventing infection from COVID-19. This is an absolute game changer, as vaccination does not achieve prevention by itself 💉 Combining these new techniques with the practices shared above can dramatically reduce your odds of infection.
First, a study from 2024 discovered that the histamine receptor H1 acts as an alternative receptor for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). If you take an antihistamine that binds to the H1 receptor (such as Zyrtec or Benadryl), you can meaningfully inhibit infection from COVID-19 💊 There are additional studies from earlier in the pandemic that further reinforce these findings.
Second, non-pharmaceutical nasal sprays have produced outstanding results for preventing infection from COVID-19 and other viruses. They work by forming a “shield” in your nasal cavity that binds to viruses, germs, and even pollen spores that enter your nasal passages 👃 I use Profi nasal spray for this kind of protection, as it is based on the research from Harvard Medical School linked previously.
It’s also worth noting that there are other nasal spray options available—such as Betadine, Nasitrol, Epothex and other “over the counter” nasal sprays that can provide this additional layer of defense.
Is there more you can do?
Honestly, there’s always more things worth doing. You could wear an N100 or N95 over-the-head mask (with good fit) the entire time you’re traveling 😷 You could choose to only eat outdoors—or in secluded, well-ventilated spaces. You could avoid crowds entirely. But the real challenge is that regularly doing these things requires presence of mind—and a force of will—in order to withstand peer pressure while attending gatherings or large events.
That said—if you want to kick things up a notch, you have options. You could leverage Far-UVC technology ☀️ which has been shown to inactivate >99% of airborne viruses in an occupied space. It would be amazing if more restaurants and event venues took advantage of this technology, but in the mean time there’s the travel-sized versions I’ve linked.
In addition to Far-UVC, you can also install HEPA air filters that leverage common MERV-13 furnace filters in your home. The air filter I’ve linked to runs quietly, and is intended to operate on a regular basis. The best part is that you only need to replace the filters once a year, and they’re pretty easy to find (or buy in bulk).
Beyond this, I strongly encourage you to test on your final day of travel 🧪 and then continue testing at-least once a day for minimum of 4 days after you’ve returned home. Personally, I test once a day for 7 days just to be on the safe side. Either way, taking this additional precaution allows you to reduce the likelihood of transmitting an infection to the people and creatures you love 🐈⬛ I use the CorDx Tyfast multiplex rapid tests for this step—they’re easy to use, relatively quick, and cover multiple virus types.
Finally, if your test comes back positive, talk to a medical professional about acquiring Paxlovid. The standard antiviral treatment course runs for five days, and is best taken as soon as you start testing positive. That said—once you’ve completed your treatment course, test at least once a day for 7 days to confirm whether or not you experience Paxlovid rebound 🪃
How to stay informed
In truth, the only reason I even know all this information is thanks to Violet Blue’s weekly newsletter, titled “Threat Model” (formerly known as the “Pandemic Roundup”) 🗞️ Violet’s curation of scientific research, virus mutations, and information about how the disease is spreading have provided immeasurable insights into my own experience with the virus—as well a an abundance of knowledge on how to keep myself and my loved ones safe.
I am profoundly grateful to Violet for all of the work she has done—and continues to do—to make the world a safer and more informed place 🫶 In addition to Violet’s newsletter, there’s also The Sick Times newsletter, Dr. Lucky Tran’s social media posts, and many other writers, thinkers, and doers in this space who are worth following.
As the saying goes: knowledge is half the battle 🧠
And honestly—it’s hard knowing that the only way to guarantee you won’t catch COVID-19 (or other viruses) is to isolate, have good air filtration in your home, and take significant precautions when required to interact with society. If you want to learn how to pursue this route, I wrote about maintaining one’s sanity while following the seclusion strategy three years ago.
On the other hand, if you want to start seeing the world again, it’s worth considering that you now have options to reduce the likelihood of infection. Applying a defense-in-depth strategy (backed by science!) will help improve your odds of experiencing a healthy and enjoyable trip.
So for those of you that decide to get back out there: safe travels 😊
Thank you to Violet Blue for reviewing this post and providing additional insights, suggestions, and feedback 😄
If you found this post interesting or useful, I invite you to support my content through Patreon — and thank you once again for stopping by 😊 While I consider my next blog post, you can git checkout other (usually off-topic) content I’m reading over at Instapaper.
Until next time, remember to git commit && stay classy!
Cheers,