The 2026 Spring Festival travel rush will begin tomorrow (February 2nd), and people who have been busy for a year are stepping back with anticipation. What health risks are prone to during the Spring Festival travel rush? How to deal with it? During the Spring Festival travel rush, it is necessary to do a good job in preventing respiratory infectious diseases. According to the monitoring of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, respiratory infectious diseases in China are still in a high incidence season, showing an overall downward trend. The influenza epidemic is at a moderate level, and pathogens such as respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus are also active. Experts suggest that wearing masks is still an effective protective measure. Before traveling, it is necessary to prepare masks, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and other supplies. Wang Guiqiang, Chief Physician of the Infectious Diseases Department at Peking University First Hospital: During the Spring Festival travel rush, trains are a typical space where diseases are easily transmitted. Due to factors such as airtightness, crowd gathering, and relatively poor air circulation, it is advisable to wear masks during the Spring Festival travel rush. In addition to taking personal protective measures, vaccination can still effectively reduce the risk of disease infection. So, since the activity of influenza virus has shown a downward trend, is it still necessary to get vaccinated against influenza? Wang Guiqiang, Chief Physician of the Infectious Diseases Department at Peking University First Hospital: It is recommended that the elderly and children receive the flu vaccine, especially when visiting relatives and friends. I got infected on the train without control or attention, and my family got infected again. There are elderly people and basic patients in my family, which needs to be emphasized during the Chinese New Year. During the Spring Festival travel rush, pay attention to diet and be alert to gastrointestinal diseases. In addition to paying attention to the spread of respiratory diseases, irregular diet and changes in food types during the journey can easily increase the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, the fatigue during the journey may also weaken people's resistance. These factors combined may cause some people to experience gastrointestinal discomfort symptoms. Experts suggest that citizens should first purchase food from legitimate channels when traveling. Whether traveling together or meeting new friends, it is important to pay attention to food hygiene when dining together. During the journey, avoid overeating and have a light taste. In addition, people who are prone to gastrointestinal discomfort symptoms can also prepare some commonly used drugs for emergency use. Wang Guiqiang, Chief Physician of the Infectious Diseases Department at Peking University First Hospital: Personal hygiene is very important. In addition to respiratory infectious diseases, gastrointestinal infectious diseases such as norovirus are prone to spread in autumn and winter. The barrier of 'illness entering through the mouth' cannot be protected too much. Wash hands before and after meals, and be sure to pay attention to hand hygiene when eating. Try to eat less raw and cold food, and be careful not to eat expired and spoiled food. During the Spring Festival travel rush, avoiding prolonged sitting can reduce fatigue and illness. However, most people choose transportation such as airplanes and high-speed trains as their mode of transportation. Recently, many netizens have expressed that sitting on high-speed trains for too long can lead to drowsiness. Why is it easy to get sleepy when taking high-speed trains? Does it have any impact on health? How can we alleviate it? Experts say that in densely populated train environments, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air is relatively high, and factors such as prolonged sitting, excessive eye use, and road fatigue can also easily cause fatigue and drowsiness, and even dizziness. It is recommended to get up and move around in the carriage after a period of time. When you can leave the carriage, try to go out and breathe some fresh air to relieve the stress. In addition, during the Spring Festival travel rush, passengers who travel long distances should also be aware that prolonged sitting by plane, train, or car may cause obstruction of venous blood flow in the lower limbs, increasing the risk of blood clot formation. Li Xiaojing, Executive Deputy Director of the Emergency Department of Peking University First Hospital: The legroom is relatively small and the range of movement is also limited. If this state is maintained for a long time, the blood flow speed in the lower limbs will be slow, which can easily lead to venous thrombosis in the lower limbs. Moreover, especially in emergency situations, acute pulmonary embolism may occur when the vehicle brakes urgently. For a period of time, such as about half an hour or an hour, it is recommended to get up and move around. This is the best preventive method. How should chronic disease patients cope with discomfort during their travels? During long-distance travel, patients with underlying or chronic diseases should pay special attention to their own health and safety. It is best for chronic disease patients to bring at least 1.5 times the amount of medication they have been traveling for before departure. Medications should be stored separately to reduce the risk of drug loss, especially emergency drugs such as nitroglycerin and asthma medication, which should be carried with them and not stored in suitcases. In addition, there are some portable devices that can detect blood pressure and blood sugar indicators. It is recommended to carry them on the journey for easy monitoring. If you experience physical discomfort or abnormal elevation of indicators, you should rest in a timely manner or seek medical attention nearby. How to call an ambulance correctly in emergency situations? What should we do if we need to call an ambulance due to a sudden illness during the journey? Chen Zhi, Director of the Emergency Training Department at Beijing Emergency Center: Currently, 120 dispatchers across the country provide remote telephone guidance for urgent and critical illnesses, such as cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, trauma hemostasis and bandaging, and relief of suffocation from airway foreign bodies. Experts suggest that when making an emergency call, the first step is to immediately clarify the purpose and confirm with the emergency personnel that I need an ambulance. Subsequently, the current location can be informed by administrative district, street township, community, and house number. If the exact address is not known, an agreement can be made with the emergency personnel to designate a landmark building or obvious landmark. After the emergency personnel arrive, the on-site personnel will guide them to the scene to shorten the waiting time. Before the ambulance arrives, the phone should be kept open, and if necessary, assistance can be provided to the patient according to the guidance of the emergency personnel. (New Society)