H1N1 Scare Causes Businesses to Get Serious About Tra...( State's Biggest Travel Health Firm Se...),Health

State's Biggest Travel Health Firm Sees Uptick in Employer Interest in Their Niche

DENVER, May 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The H1N1 flu scare has caused businesses who regularly send their employees on international business trips to "get proactive" about travel health care, according to the owner of the state's largest travel health provider.

"We are hearing from more employers now about travel health issues, said Jamie Reesman, president of Passport Health Colorado. "I think now both employers and employees are appreciating that a travel health consultation with a travel medicine specialist is an important part of your pre-trip planning," he said.

Reesman reports that the H1N1 situation definitely impacted his clients' travel plans, but that the firm generally witnessed that travelers and companies opted to stick with their travel plans despite the influenza threat.

"As infectious disease experts have been able to better understand the true nature of the virus, we've seen our clients grow more comfortable with the concept of traveling again," Reesman said.

To reduce their risk of disease, Passport Health Colorado is advising their clients to limit their personal risk by:

• Maintaining good personal hygiene. Wash your hands frequently. Carry a hand sanitizer for use when soap and water aren't readily available.
• Avoid touching your face.
• Avoid people who are obviously sick.
• Consider your general health prior to travel. Talk to your travel health specialist about whether flu may be a more serious disease for you.
• Ensure all routine vaccinations are up-to-date. (This includes pneumocococcal vaccination for some groups of people.)
• People who have not had an annual flu vaccination should consider having one to prevent regular seasonal flu.