Sunnies? Packed. Swimming gear? Packed. Shiny new summer clothes? Packed. What now? Well, yourself. While you’re checking away the holiday essentials, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has urged holidaymakers like you to follow their comprehensive list to ensure you stay safe and healthy while you’re away on your hols.
The UKHSA acknowledges that while most travellers tend to have healthy, safe trips, some travellers do return with infections that include malaria, dengue, measles, diarrhoea-type illnesses and other infections caused by mosquitoes. Lovely.
The health tips for UK travellers going abroad
So, what are the steps that the UKHSA wants us to take before heading abroad?
Well, before anything else, do your research and find out what the local health risks are in your chosen location before you go. You can find country-specific advice from TravelHealthPro, and from the UK Government foreign travel advice site.
Check that you’re up to date on vaccines
The UKHSA recommends that you check your vaccination record before travelling and notes that different countries have different requirements for vaccines. Getting the right vaccines ensures that you’ll avoid complications, travel disruptions, or even being denied entry to the country all together..
The agency ads that you need to be up to date with routine vaccinations at home, too, such as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) as these infections are more common in some countries than in the UK.
Watch what you eat and drink
The UKHSA states that they have detected an increase in gastrointestinal infections in travellers returning from Turkey with 241 cases of Salmonella enteritidis detected since the beginning of 2023.
They have suggested that, in order to stay safe, travellers wash their hands thoroughly after using the toilet and before preparing or eating food. Additionally, travellers should ensure foods are cooked or reheated thoroughly and perishable foods are kept cool in the fridge or freezer where possible.
They add that good options for travellers are:
- recently prepared thoroughly-cooked food that is served piping hot
- fruit that can be peeled by the traveller, such as bananas and oranges
- pasteurised dairy produce, such as yoghurts, milk and cheese
Be aware of heat health
Noting that there is a heatwave soaring through Europe, the UKHSA recommends that travellers drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher and wear protective clothing such as hats and sunglasses.
Protect yourself against mosquitos
We are all too familiar with the frustration of mosquitos on holidays, especially since they’re so common in warm destinations. The agency notes that while these tend to be harmless (if annoying!) Some can spread disease and due to climate change, they’re seeing the spread of more serious mosquito-borne infections.
One condition that can be caused by mosquitoes is malaria. This condition can be fatal and needs to be diagnosed and treated very quickly. The agency advises that if you’re going to a country with a high malaria risk, you speak to a healthcare professional for some preventative medication.
They add that if you do go to a malaria-risk country and find yourself feeling unwell with fever and flu-like symptoms, seek immediate medical attention and don’t wait until you get home to be treated.
To avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, the agency recommends wearing loose-fitting clothing, long sleeves, long trousers, covering exposed skin and using insect repellents. They add that sleeping under mosquito nets is an effective way to protect yourself from mosquito bites.
Protect yourself against rabies
The agency states that rabies is a serious and ‘invariably fatal’ illness. If you come into contact with saliva from an infected animal through a bite, scratch, or lick on broken skin, you are at risk of falling ill with rabies.
UKHSA urges that travellers get pre-exposure vaccines when visiting a place where rabies is present in animals. They add that you should have a record of vaccination when being treated for exposure. Speak to your GP or travel clinic for more information on getting a pre-exposure vaccine.
The agency adds, “Rabies is found in warm-blooded mammals; this includes cats, dogs, monkeys, and bats. Avoid contact with wild and domestic animals where possible.”
However, if you are bitten by an animal abroad, follow these steps:
- Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
- Apply a suitable disinfectant to the wound.
- Apply a simple dressing to the wound.
- Seek medical attention locally.
Keep safe from sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
If you’re having a little afternoon delight with a new sexual partner while travelling, it’s essential that you use protection where possible and when you come back to the UK, if you’ve had condomless or oral sex abroad, you get tested for STIs before engaging in sex with anybody else.