Few things can derail a trip like coming down with a cold or the flu. Yet with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting 91 different strains of flu virus in circulation during the 2012-2013 flu season, avoiding illness while on the road can be especially challenging.

It’s possible to infect others with the flu virus beginning one day before symptoms emerge to up to five to seven days after you become sick, according to the Contac Cold & Flu HQ. The number of Americans traveling increases dramatically during the holiday season, which happens to coincide every year with the height of the flu season. Travelers are exposed to more germs and viruses than folks who stay home, so if you’ll be taking a trip this winter, it pays to keep some preventive precautions and treatment options in mind.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s website, flu.gov, advises travelers to: