February 07, 2025

On a recent flight from Charleston, South Carolina, to Newark, Sukrut Dwivedi noticed a passenger a few rows ahead of him coughing violently and uncontrollably.

“The man appeared feverish and kept reaching for tissues,” said Dwivedi, a physician who works for ID Care, an infectious disease care provider. “I could see the passengers around him were very uncomfortable.”

With flu season taking off, you might find yourself in a similar situation soon. Maybe someone seated near you looks sick. And maybe you’re wondering what to do about it – or if you can do anything at all.