Safe travels: How to avoid getting ill while travelling

Travelling overseas is a great way to experience a different culture and learn new things while having fun and relaxing at the same time. However, in order to have a nice trip, you must always remember to prepare accordingly prior to departure. 

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If you have a long-distance voyage planned for the near future, here are some things you should be aware of to minimise the risk of becoming ill or injured during the journey.  

Before you leave

Travel preparations should ideally begin at least a week before you’re supposed to leave so that you can be careful and methodical in your approach. If you do everything at the last minute, you’re more likely to rush the entire process due to lack of time and end up doing things halfway. 

Checking your destination and the specific health risks associated with it during the timeframe when you expect you’ll be travelling, as well as any other additional safety concerns that you might have, is the first step in ensuring safe travels.

For instance, if you’re travelling to an area where people drive on the other side of the road, you must know what that means for traffic safety. 

However, if you are involved in a traffic collision that was the result of the other party’s negligence, you should be able to file a compensation claim with www.personalinjuryclaimscare.org.uk that can help cover your care costs at least partially. You must never forget to wear a seatbelt, and young children must always be in special car seats. Before you leave, you should make an appointment with your healthcare provider in order to get any necessary vaccines that can keep you safe from viruses that are endemic in the area where you’ll be travelling.

Keep in mind that it can take several weeks for a vaccine to offer adequate protection, so don’t postpone the appointment too much. If you need any prescription medication, make sure to get a refill before you leave, as it is unlikely you will be able to after reaching your destination. Make sure you’re ready for emergencies by packing a travel first aid kit that includes over-the-counter medications, insect repellent, sunscreen, hand sanitiser and water disinfection tablets.

The trip

Just because you will prepare well before leaving your home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful after reaching your destination. Make sure to choose safe transportation and always be alert when crossing the street. Don’t drive after drinking alcohol, and never get in a car with a driver who has, since being under the influence will drastically increase the possibility of an accident. 

Avoid bug bites as they can transmit a wide range of illnesses such as Lyme, Zika, malaria and yellow fever. Travellers are also prone to developing stomach issues.

As a general rule, you should always make sure your hands are clean before eating. You should also avoid any establishment that doesn’t seem to be compliant with sanitation regulations. Don’t spend an excessive amount of time in the sun, especially around noon or at high altitudes, as you’re more likely to get sunburnt. Heat exhaustion or its more severe counterpart, heatstroke, can occur in patients who have spent too much time in the sun. Getting to a shaded area, dropping your body temperature with a cool shower or tub and using ice packs and cold, wet towels on the neck and underarms are the standard treatments for heat exhaustion, but heatstroke is much more severe and requires specialist medical attention in order to avoid serious complications such as organ failure.

Violence

There are many areas in the world where you’re more likely to become the victim of a violent attack, so in order to avoid the possibility of that taking place, you should always do your research before visiting any place. Travelling to unfamiliar places at night, especially under the influence of alcohol, is never a good idea. If the country you’re visiting has experienced conflicts over the last few months, you must learn about the areas where the violence is more likely to occur and steer clear of them. In some cases, you might be able to access guided tours that can take you to those areas, but it is definitely not worth the risk.

And you should definitely not visit these areas on your own. There are so many beautiful places to explore that it would undoubtedly be a bad idea to focus only on some particular areas, especially if they’re objectively hazardous to visit.

Swimming

There’s nothing quite like taking a dip in the water during your trip, but swimming can be potentially dangerous depending on your skills and the places where you choose to swim. Don’t swim alone or in unfamiliar waters, and don’t venture too far, even if you’re confident in your swimming abilities. You should also learn about the local marine life and discover if you may be prone to encountering stingrays, stinging jellyfish and sharks before jumping in the water. 

Swimming in freshwater lakes, canals or streams can potentially cause infectious diseases. You should always make sure that the water is reasonably clean and that you don't ingest it. Make sure it doesn’t go up your nose or into your ears and eyes either, as it can lead to very serious, potentially life-threatening infections. To prevent diseases of any kind, make sure to swim only in pools that have chlorinated water and which are cleaned regularly.

When you travel, it is normal to want to leave all your responsibilities behind and just unwind and relax. Yet, in order to be able to genuinely enjoy your trip, you need to be mindful of your safety and take the suitable safety measures to avoid getting wounded or injured during your trip. If your health suffers and you have to visit doctors, you’re more likely than not to miss out on your holiday, as well as incur additional expenses related to healthcare and medication. Therefore, it is much better to be careful from the beginning in order to avoid these events.