More and more people nowadays are not only heading to popular destinations but are also travelling to more unusual and less visited places across the globe. Whilst visiting these places can be an amazing experience, they also come with heightened health risks when compared to more visited countries, which is why it is more important than every to stay healthy when travelling.
Most people will have been aware of the Zika outbreak that surfaced a while ago, which highlighted the need to keep in mind the health risks when travelling.
Of course, you also need to be aware of the need to bring sunscreen, bug repellent and other travel necessities. Be sure to do plenty of research into your destination before you go in order to make sure that you are fully prepared and protected.
Make Sure You Check For Health Risks
You also need to be aware of the physical risks involved when travelling abroad. If for example, you are going on a hiking holiday where you will be walking for large parts of the day and for extended time periods, making sure your feet are taken care of before you go is essential. If you have any foot problems, make sure to get them sorted before you go by seeing a podiatrist.
Making sure you check for more serious health risks is essential. This applies for specifically to countries that have a known health risk or have a statically poor healthcare system. Making sure you are prepared before you go is essential.
Still, plans to go abroad don’t need to be cancelled or changed to avoid getting sick. You can protect yourself from things like cholera, and other food and waterborne illnesses, by drinking clean (filtered or bottled) water, washing hands frequently and eating foods that are from sealed packages or cooked well. However, almost 98 percent of travellers do not comply with these guidelines.
If you are travelling abroad to an area where a known travel risk is present (cholera for example), make sure you are prepared by talking to your doctor or pharmacist at least two weeks in advance about getting vaccinated for cholera.
Getting a vaccine before travel may also help to ensure that your travel plans are not inconvenienced by illness. The CDC recommends that adult travellers (ages 18-64) who are going to areas of active cholera transmission get vaccinated for cholera.
Use a Little Bit of Common Sense
All in all, using your common sense when planning for a holiday is something everyone should do. Make sure you do plenty of research before you go to know how to prepare. If the country has a known health risk, make sure you get any vaccinations that you need before you travel.
Also, keep in mind your physical health. If your next holiday is going to be a physically active one, make sure that any injuries or other issues are dealt with before you go.
