Winter Sun Holiday? Don’t forget Vaccinations!

It’s no fun, and we hate to be the ones to do it… but just a friendly reminder to visit your GP at least 6-8 weeks before a trip to countries where you need vaccinations. We can’t give all the information here, but it could be places such as the Caribbean, Far East, Middle East, Asia, Africa and Central or S. America.  We become complacent with the ease of air travel and tend to forget that many countries don’t have the standard of hygiene we’re used to, so there’s a risk of picking up something nasty if you’re not protected.

Don’t listen to your friends or family if they tell you it’s not necessary, or they went there and didn’t get sick; find out the facts for yourself.  You can catch nasties from contaminated water and food, making your holiday a misery with vomiting and diarrhea, or serious conditions like Hepatitis A or typhoid.  Do your homework before you go and remember little tips you’ve picked up, such as not having ice in your drinks (made with tap water) and only using bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth.  Order food cooked fresh – avoid buffets that may have been sitting out too long, and street vendor food. 

If you feel unwell on your return visit your GP.  Because of the popularity of exotic travel doctors are thankfully becoming more aware of the possibility you could have picked up a tropical disease.  Watch out for bugs, ticks, mosquitoes, etc.  Use insect repellent if this is likely to be a problem, and wear protective clothing.  Be wary of paddling in pretty-looking fresh water lakes and streams in certain parts of the world. 

For more information visit sites such as the Foreign & Commonwealth Office site at www.fco.gov.uk/travel  (their ‘Know Before You Go’ campaign gives lots of good information).  Also try the Department of Health’s site at www.dh.gov.uk and click through ‘Policy and Guidance’ to ‘Health Advice for Travellers’.Š

Related posts

• No related posts.