Public welfare project aims to spread awareness ahead of peak flu season

With the continuous optimization of China's entry and exit policies, the popularity of outbound tourism continues to rise. However, for tourists during peak flu season, the public awareness and proper prevention and control measures are of great importance.

A public welfare project was launched in Beijing, on the eighth World Influenza Day, on Nov 1. The project was jointly hosted by gongyi.sina.com.cn and iAsk under Sina, and supported by the China Population Welfare Foundation, Roche Pharma China and China's travel site Ctrip.com. Through multi-party collaboration, the project aims to provide solutions from risk warning to scientific prevention and control, and jointly build a line of defense for global travel during flu season.

Influenza is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by influenza virus. The World Health Organization estimates that there are around 1 billion seasonal cases of influenza every year, including 3 to 5 million cases that exhibit severe symptoms. Seasonal influenza epidemics cause approximately 290,000 to 650,000 deaths annually worldwide.

Research showed that international travel is one of the driving forces of the global transmission of influenza. Currently, China's outbound tourism market is constantly growing. In 2025, Sina Finance estimates there will be approximately 155 million outbound travelers, with October to February being the peak season for influenza in the northern hemisphere — covering popular tourist destinations such as Japan and South Korea.

Public reports show that, in October, the Japanese health department announced the onset of a flu pandemic, which may spread to neighboring countries, with the increase in international travel possibly being a factor in the early arrival of flu season.

When peak travel coincides with peak influenza season, travelers are exposed to a higher risk of infection while enjoying their holidays, experts said.

"Influenza is not a 'big cold', especially when traveling with fatigue and weakened immunity, the risk is higher," Li Tongzeng, a professor at the department of respiratory and infectious diseases of the Beijing You'an Hospital affiliated to the Capital Medical University, said. "In foreign countries where the medical system and language may be unfamiliar, the health risks brought by influenza infection are more difficult, especially for the elderly, children, pregnant women, and high-risk groups with underlying diseases. Influenza may cause serious complications such as pneumonia, and even endanger life."

Forty-eight hours after the onset of symptoms a crucial time for treatment, he added.

In order to enhance the public's awareness of scientific prevention and control of influenza, the project invited multiple celebrities to speak out together as "guardians of influenza prevention and control", calling on the public to have a correct understanding and response to influenza, and to strengthen health protection for outbound travel during the influenza season.

At the same time, a global travel comprehensive protection science popularization zone for influenza season was also launched, providing the public with a real-time influenza index and a pre-departure health preparation list for popular overseas travel destinations.

"For the prevention and control of influenza, we aim at becoming a comprehensive guardian of the public health," Janet Chen, vice-president of Roche Pharma China, said. "In the future, joining hands with multiple forces in society, we will help in forging a solid and resilient public health defense line."