You know something's up when the French decree that the double-cheek-kiss greeting is suspended until further notice and when Germans are happy to avoid handshaking. It's not a culture war: It's a virus war. With the regular flu season about to start and the panic over swine flu (or, more accurately, the H1N1 virus) in full force, travelers have good reason to worry about anything they're doing, however innocent, that may increase their chance of getting infected.

H1N1 is the first flu pandemic--a global outbreak--for more than 40 years, and epidemiologists are worried. In addition to the severity of symptoms and rapid spread of the disease, the virus is problematic because people are contagious for two days before any symptoms develop. It's not just the guy next to you on the shuttle bus sneezing a few inches from your face that's cause for concern. It's pretty much any infected person--from your child's kindergarten chums to the checkout clerk at the big-box store--who can expose you to these nasty and sometimes lethal microbes.

What can you do to avoid catching either H1N1 or the seasonal flu when you travel?

• Be an obsessive hand-washer. Use water as hot as you can stand. Use lots of soap. Take your time. There's conflicting evidence over whether hand sanitizer is effective against H1N1, but it can't hurt, and it's better than nothing.
   
• Stay away from anyone who's sick. Granted, that may not be possible on an airplane or in a public place (hotel, restaurant, office building), but do the best you can to keep your distance. The good news is that the chances of getting infected on a plane, unless you are sitting next to someone who is ill and coughing and sneezing all over you, are fairly small. Aircraft manufactured in the 1980s and thereafter use HEPA filters that have a 99 percent efficiency rate. You're much more likely to get sick at home.
   
• If you're feeling crummy, don't get on a plane or train. Your colleagues and associates will understand if you have to change your plans for a business trip because you're concerned about being contagious.
   
• Don't shake hands or kiss anyone in greeting or leave-taking, even on the cheek.
   
• Keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth and nose. Those are the entry points for the virus.

Inoculations are key
Health experts are also recommending that everyone who is a candidate for a vaccination get one. Who's not a candidate? Anyone allergic to any of the components of the vaccine, including eggs; anyone with a compromised immune system; anyone who's already ill or has a fever at the time of an inoculation. Ask your doctor if you're unsure about getting either the injected or inhaled version of the vaccine. If you are pregnant, you are not exempt from a flu shot; you are, in fact, in a priority group.

The seasonal flu vaccine is available, and you can get a shot at major national drugstores, such as Walgreens and CVS. You can also get a flu shot at a number of airports--a novel way to handle down time as you wait for your flight. Flu shot kiosks are run by a Chicago-based company called FLU*Ease at airports in Chicago (O'Hare and Midway); Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Tampa, Fla.; Philadelphia; New York (JFK and Newark) and San Francisco. FLU*East President Jeff Butler says that kiosks will be added at Los Angeles International and Nashville, Tenn., as well. The price for a shot ranges from $25 to $36, about what it costs at a retail drugstore.

As for H1N1: That vaccine is being manufactured by four companies, but there are fewer doses available than anticipated, so the focus is still mainly on inoculating high-risk groups.

Experts say it's fine to get shots for both types of flu at the same time. Many people are getting them separately--the seasonal flu shot now, and the H1N1 when it's available in their area.

What international travelers need to know
If you're traveling outside the U.S., be advised that airport staff may be checking the health of arriving passengers. Screeners will be looking for fever and other symptoms of H1N1 flu. If you have any symptoms, you might be quarantined or denied entry to that country. You may also be quarantined if you're healthy, if someone on your flight is found to have H1N1.

To find out more about entry screenings before you go, consult your destination's embassy or consulate. You can find a list on the U.S. Department of State website.

Do be aware that State Department usually can't interfere with the rights of other countries to screen airline passengers entering or exiting their countries. They also can't interfere if you're put in quarantine.

Useful links
To find out more about flu prevention and treatment, and to learn where there are outbreaks of the disease:

United States: Flu.gov, a well-written, easy-to-navigate clearinghouse of information and links

World Health Organization Influenza A (H1N1) website 

Pan American Health Organization

Keep in mind
Find out before you leave on your trip whether your health insurance plan will cover medical care during your trip. Many insurance companies don't cover these costs, and U.S. embassies, consulates and military facilities do not evacuate or give medications, vaccines or medical care to private U.S. citizens engaged in international travel.