Sometimes going on holiday can be very daunting. Many diseases are taking advantage of the boom in international travel and spreading far beyond boarders. If you remember the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in China 2002, that was a horrible outbreak of a virus that affected a number of the neighbouring countries, including Singapore for a year.
Always ask yourself the question, do you have the latest information on what vaccinations and medication are required for international travel?
Be prepared for your trip and find out if you need travel vaccines and make sure your vaccinations are up-to-date. Do check your local GP or private doctor if they offer the travel vaccinations and the costs. If diseases such as malaria are a risk, especially in tropical and subtropical countries, you may need to start treatment by getting the Doxycycline tablets before travelling. Malaria is preventable if you have taken the Malaria tablets before you go and it is curable. Also check if it’s safe to drink the local water and many more common questions.
Nowadays, everything you need to know about medical conditions can be found at the touch of your fingertips, on a keypad. So whenever I am travelling to a new country, especially long trips, I would research online from travel insurance to vaccinations and read the latest travel alerts from NHS Travel Health pages and Travel Health Pro, four to six weeks before I go.
If you’re currently on medication, ask your doctors to give you extra medicines to take with you. If necessary, carry your medical report/letter to the airport from your doctor to explain the medication and your health condition.
Next, make sure to pack a basic travel health kit that includes painkiller, anti-diarrhoea, sun cream, condom, insect bite treatment etc. When visiting a new country, my husband has been quite poorly with food in the past and so we make sure we pack the anti-diarrhoea pills. It’s so handy to have these basics with you rather than having to hunt down a chemist if you’re ill in a foreign country.
So don’t forget to get your travel health check or seek medical advice from a health professional before your holiday starts to save you from all the trouble.
Disclosure: This is a collaboration post. Infographic from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor .