Tag: travel safety

When most people think about travel health, they think about vaccines.

In fact, if you attend an NHS travel appointment, vaccinations are often the main focus of the consultation. Important discussions take place about which vaccines are recommended, which are required and how far in advance they should be given.

But travel health is about far more than vaccines.

A good travel consultation should consider your destination, the type of travel you are undertaking, your age, your medical history, your medications, your planned activities and any health risks you may face while you are away.

Vaccines are just one part of the picture.

That said, they are an important part.

Travel vaccines and other preventative measures provide protection against diseases that may be common in the region you are visiting but rarely seen in the UK.

Some travel vaccines are available free through the NHS, including protection against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis A and typhoid.

Others, such as yellow fever, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis, are usually only available privately and can be expensive.

It can be tempting to decline these vaccines, particularly when the cost begins to add up.

However, the diseases they protect against can be life-threatening.

Rabies is a good example.

Many people assume rabies is only transmitted through the bite of a visibly infected animal. In reality, the virus is carried in saliva. A scratch from an apparently harmless cat, a lick over broken skin or a bite from an infected animal can all transmit the disease. 

Once symptoms of rabies develop, the disease is almost invariably fatal. It remains one of the most feared infectious diseases in the world.

Treatment following exposure often requires rabies immunoglobulin, which may not be readily available in some parts of the world. In certain countries it can be difficult to obtain and may need to be transported from elsewhere, resulting in potentially dangerous delays.

Pre-travel vaccination does not eliminate the need for medical treatment if you are exposed, but it provides valuable protection and significantly improves your chances if the unexpected happens.

Travel vaccines are therefore not simply another item on a holiday checklist.

In some situations, they can genuinely save your life.

Perhaps the most important message is not to leave travel health advice until the last minute. Some vaccines require more than one dose and may need to be given weeks before departure to provide adequate protection.

The earlier you seek advice, the more options are available to you.

And vaccines are only the beginning.

A comprehensive travel consultation often takes considerably longer than a standard GP appointment.

Done properly, travel health is a detailed risk assessment. It involves understanding where you are going, how long you are travelling for, where you will be staying, what activities you plan to undertake, your age, your medical history and any medications you take.

A backpacking trip through rural Asia carries very different risks from a week in a European city. The advice given to a healthy twenty-year-old may be very different from that given to a seventy-year-old with heart disease.

The aim is not simply to provide vaccines, but to help travellers understand the risks they may encounter and how best to protect themselves.

Malaria Prevention

When people think about travel health, malaria is often the disease that causes the greatest concern.

Unlike many travel-related infections, malaria can become serious very quickly and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated promptly.

Depending on your destination, anti-malarial medication may be recommended. However, tablets are only one part of prevention.

Avoiding mosquito bites remains essential. Insect repellents containing DEET, mosquito nets, long sleeves and appropriate clothing can all significantly reduce your risk.

Many travellers underestimate the importance of bite prevention, particularly in the evening when malaria-carrying mosquitoes are most active.

Another thing I learned during my travel medicine training is that you may not even realise you have been bitten.

Many people assume a mosquito bite will always itch or leave a visible mark. However, malaria-carrying mosquitoes often cause little or no reaction on the skin at all.

This is one of the reasons why bite prevention remains so important.

Travelling with Existing Medical Conditions

A travel consultation should never focus solely on the destination. It should also focus on the traveller.

Conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, epilepsy and severe allergies may all require additional planning.

Do you have enough medication for the duration of your trip?

Do you need to carry the medication in a protected container if it is usually stored in the fridge. Insulin is a common example, but many newer medications may also require special storage arrangements.

What would happen if your medication was lost?

Do you need a doctor’s letter for airport security?

Are your medications legal in the country you are visiting?

These questions are often overlooked until a problem arises.

Travel Insurance

Perhaps the least exciting part of travel health is also one of the most important.

Medical treatment abroad can be extremely expensive.

Travel insurance should not be viewed as an optional extra.

Returning to the example of rabies, imagine the costs associated with emergency medical treatment, hospital care, obtaining rabies immunoglobulin, travelling to a specialist centre or having treatment transported to a remote location.

Make sure any pre-existing medical conditions are declared and that your policy provides appropriate cover for your destination and planned activities.

First Aid and Travel Essentials

It is also worth considering taking a small travel health kit with you.

What you pack will depend on your destination, planned activities and any underlying medical conditions, but simple items can make a significant difference when medical help is not immediately available.

Consider carrying:

• Regular medications, with extra supplies where possible
• Pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
• Antihistamines for allergic reactions or insect bites
• Oral rehydration sachets
• Plasters and basic wound dressings
• Antiseptic wipes or cream
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Condoms

If you take regular medication, it is often wise to carry it in your hand luggage as well as keeping a copy of your prescription or a doctor’s letter if required.

A little preparation can prevent a minor problem becoming a major inconvenience.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Long-haul travel increases the risk of developing a blood clot in the legs, particularly in people with additional risk factors.

These include:

• Previous blood clots
• Recent surgery
• Pregnancy
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Obesity
• Certain medical conditions

Simple measures such as staying hydrated, moving regularly during flights and wearing compression stockings when appropriate can significantly reduce risk.

Food and Water Safety

Traveller’s diarrhoea remains one of the commonest health problems affecting people abroad.

While it is often self-limiting, it can quickly spoil a holiday and occasionally become serious.

Basic precautions remain important:

• Drink safe water
• Be cautious with ice in certain destinations
• Eat food that is freshly prepared and thoroughly cooked
• Avoid food that has been left standing in the heat

The old travel advice of “boil it, cook it, peel it or leave it” still has merit.

Sun Protection

Many people spend more time in the sun during a two-week holiday than they do during the rest of the year.

Sunburn is not simply uncomfortable. It can cause skin breakdown, blisters, infection and dehydration. Repeated sun damage increases the risk of skin cancer and accelerates skin ageing.

Use high-factor sunscreen, reapply it regularly, seek shade during the hottest part of the day and remember that children are particularly vulnerable to sun damage.

Accidents and Drowning

One of the things that surprised me most when I first trained in travel medicine was learning that infectious diseases are not the biggest cause of death among travellers.

Accidents account for far more travel-related deaths than many people realise.

Road traffic accidents remain a major risk in many countries, particularly where road conditions, vehicle standards or driving practices differ significantly from those in the UK. In many destinations scooters and motorcycles are cheap, convenient and widely available. Yet helmets, seatbelts and other safety measures may not be routinely used, making serious injury much more likely.

Another often overlooked risk is drowning.

Whether in swimming pools, lakes, rivers or the sea, drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death during travel.

Alcohol, unfamiliar environments, strong currents and overconfidence can all contribute.

Most people spend far more time worrying about rare infections than they do about the risks they are actually most likely to encounter.

Gap Years, Young Travellers and Risk-Taking

Travel is often one of life’s greatest adventures.

For many young adults, a gap year or backpacking trip offers opportunities to explore new cultures, gain independence and create memories that last a lifetime.

However, young travellers can face a unique set of risks.

Long periods of travel, multiple destinations, budget accommodation, adventure activities and greater exposure to alcohol and nightlife can all increase vulnerability to illness, accidents and injury.

During my travel medicine training, I heard about a particularly tragic case involving an organised holiday group. At a party event, drinks provided to a large group of young travellers were reportedly spiked. What began as a night of celebration led to multiple sexual assaults, serious medical emergencies and, tragically, the death of one young traveller who later drowned whilst severely intoxicated.

What struck me most was how quickly a situation that seemed harmless could become life-changing.

Whilst such events remain uncommon, they serve as an important reminder that travel health is not simply about vaccines and infections. It is also about personal safety, awareness and looking out for one another.

Simple precautions such as keeping drinks within sight, avoiding leaving friends alone when intoxicated, agreeing meeting points and checking in on one another can make a significant difference.

Travel can sometimes encourage people to take risks they would never consider at home.

Alcohol, recreational drug use and casual sexual encounters can all increase the risk of accidents, injury and sexually transmitted infections.

It is also worth remembering that laws vary considerably from country to country.

Something that is commonplace in the UK may be restricted or even illegal elsewhere. Vaping is one example. Many travellers are surprised to discover that some countries have strict regulations on e-cigarettes and vaping products, with penalties ranging from fines to confiscation and, in some destinations, criminal sanctions.

Before travelling, it is worth familiarising yourself with local laws and customs. Ignorance is rarely accepted as a defence.

A good travel consultation should address these topics, even if they are sometimes uncomfortable to discuss.

Travelling Later in Life

People are travelling further and more frequently later in life than ever before.

Travel can be enormously rewarding, but it may require additional preparation.

Long journeys, multiple medications, mobility issues and underlying health conditions can all influence travel plans.

A little forward planning can prevent a great deal of stress later.

Useful Resources

Travel health advice changes regularly and recommendations vary according to destination, season and individual circumstances.

For the latest country-specific guidance, vaccine recommendations and travel health information, the following resources are particularly helpful:

• TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) – comprehensive destination-specific travel health advice, vaccine recommendations, malaria guidance and outbreak information.
• Fit for Travel (NHS Scotland) – practical travel health information covering destinations, vaccines and common travel-related health concerns.
• Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Travel Advice – essential information on political instability, civil unrest, natural disasters, developing epidemics, local laws, entry requirements and safety alerts that may affect your travel plans.

Remember that online information should complement, not replace, personalised travel health advice.

A Final Thought

Good travel health advice is about far more than injections.

It is about understanding the risks associated with your destination, your health and the type of travel you plan to undertake.

The goal is not to stop people travelling.

Quite the opposite.

It is to help ensure that the memories you bring home are of the places you visited and the experiences you enjoyed, rather than the illnesses and misfortunes you encountered along the way.

Thank you for reading.

You can find more practical health articles elsewhere on the blog, covering prevention, wellbeing and some of the everyday health questions that don’t always fit neatly into a ten-minute appointment.