Besides the luggage, holiday itinerary and so on, a vital aspect of holiday planning is ‘health planning’.
PLANNING for your dream holiday? It can be an extremely stressful experience, considering all the things that go into it, such as finding the best travel agency, reading up on tourist spots and souvenirs, organising your ticket, visa and passport … not to mention packing all your stuff and getting ready to go!
In the midst of it all, it is very easy to let an important aspect of your travel slip your mind.
Wherever you are headed, you should also think about the health aspects of your trip.
After all, travel is all about new experiences, and sickness or accidents are experiences we could all do without.
So, be prepared for healthy travelling!
Before departure
Here are some precautions you can take ahead of time. See your GP for pre-travel counselling, ideally six to eight weeks before your trip.
Nonetheless, for those leaving at short notice, it is never too late to seek advice.
If you are going to live or work overseas, see your GP six months before your departure.
Your GPs will be able to advise you on the vaccines that you should take to prevent infectious diseases, medications if any, necessary travel precautions and suitable traveller’s medical kit.
Your travel doctor or GP will also be able to provide you with routine travel advice.
Just inform your doctor of all the places that you plan to visit and activities that you plan to do – the time of the trip and the duration of the stay.
In addition, inform your doctor of any allergy, vaccination and past medical history.
Each piece of information is important to assist your doctor in determining the relative risks and benefits of vaccines and medicines for the trip.
Vaccinations
Certain vaccines or medications may be recommended to protect travellers from illnesses present in other parts of the world and to prevent the importation of infectious diseases across international borders.
There are two groups of vaccines – those that are routine that you should have whether or not you are travelling, and those that you need only if you are travelling.
Most of the routine vaccines were given when you were a child, e.g. polio, measles and chickenpox vaccine.
As for the travel vaccines, these depend on where you go and what you do while away. If you are visiting developing countries such as most ASEAN countries, you will need hepatitis A vaccine and typhoid fever vaccine, especially if you wish to eat food from the market or street stalls1.
Travellers to sub-Saharan Africa will need the meningitis vaccine1.
A polio booster may be necessary for countries where polio still occurs, e.g. India, Pakistan and Nigeria1.
If you are travelling to the Amazon Basin regions of Brazil1, you will need yellow fever vaccine.
Do you know that your holiday activities could also determine the type of vaccines you should take?
Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for those who anticipate contact with blood products or body fluid1.
Travellers who might have contact with animals, especially dogs, will need rabies vaccine1. Travellers going on cruises or bus tours may be recommended influenza vaccine1.
Medications
Your GP will advise you on your specific needs. You should be using anti-malaria tablets if you travel to high risk areas like the Sub-Sahara, Papua New Guinea or Solomon Islands1.
However, no tablet is 100% effective for preventing malaria.
The golden rules are to avoid mosquitoes, take malaria tablets regularly and see the doctor immediately if you develop a temperature of over 380C during or after visiting a malaria risk area.
If you have chronic diseases and are currently on medications, you should have a sufficient supply of routinely taken medications.
Other good advice include keeping drugs away from children as even a few malaria tablets can kill a toddler1; carrying detailed written instructions for all medications; and ensuring that any medications, needles or syringes carried overseas are accompanied by a covering letter from a doctor.
Don’t forget to check the expiry dates of medications too.
Traveller’s medical kit
Your medical kit does not have to be huge to be useful.
A decent kit consisting of what you need is more important.
Discuss with your doctor. Items that are usually needed include:
* Your regular medications, even if you only use them occasionally at home
* Digital thermometer (mercury thermometers are difficult to read and on some planes, mercury is not allowed)
* Vaccination certificate, especially if you had yellow fever vaccine
* Mosquito repellent
* Sun block
* Tablets to treat stomach problems
* Dressings and antiseptics
* Painkillers and medication to treat coughs, colds and sinus.
Do include eye mask, compression stockings, etc for more comfortable air travel.
Travellers who have special itinerary such as surfing trips may want to pack along vinegar for marine stings1, and new soft toothbrush to clean coral cuts, on top of antibiotics necessary for infections.
For pregnant and child travellers, they will need a kit tailored for their special needs, i.e. rehydration solution, vitamins, nappy rash cream, etc.
Travel insurance
You are recommended to take up travel insurance. Find out what your medical insurance covers, including medical evacuation if you become sick or are injured overseas.
A 24-hour phone number for emergencies is especially useful.
If you are pregnant or planning any activities such as skiing, motorbike riding or scuba diving, read the policy to see whether you are covered before buying the insurance.
Just remember, pre-travel preparation is the key to an enjoyable and fruitful holiday!
Minimising the health risks of your trip is an essential step towards travelling well!
Reference:
1. Derorah Mills, ‘Traveling Well’, Published by Dr Deborah Mills; 14th Edition; Nov 2007
This article is courtesy of Sanofi Pasteur.
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