Trip Health Advice

Going on your RTW or to study or volunteer abroad? Then here a few other items for pre-depature health check list

• Have a dental check up. Routine dentistry is not covered by your travel insurance, and you don't want to waste vacation time on a trip to the dentist! 
• If you have glasses or contacts make sure you have a copy of your prescription with you. If you are so blind you can't function without your glasses a spare pair or contacts are also a good idea. However in many parts of the world particularly Asia and India glasses and contacts are LOT cheaper than in the West so take the opportunity to have some spares made.

Your local Travel Doctor will have the current WHO list of recommended and required vaccinations for every country in the world. It is rare for a vaccination to be compulsory but yellow fever is for parts of Africa and South America. Meningitis is compulsory for travel to Saudi Arabia during the Haj.

Highly recommended vaccinations

Be up to date on your tetanus diphtheria, measles and polio shots. These diseases are still more common in the third world than in the est. A flu shot is also generally recommended. Even if you are travelling at home these are routine shots that everyone should have. 

Recommended Vaccinations for most non-Western Countries

Hepatitis A and B Is transmitted thru contaminated food and water. Within the last 10 years a reliable effective vaccine is available for Hepatitis A and B. If you have both shots within 6 months immunity is at least 10 years and probably life. Hepatitis is a nasty disease which can make you ill for up to 6 months and can permanently damage the liver and can prevent you from drinking alcholoh for at least 6 months so is well worth avoiding. This shot can be combined with the anit-viral for Hepatitis B which is transmitted via bodily fluids and blood.

Malaria is spread by mosquitoes which have become increasingly resistant to the anti-malarials available. The anti-malarial drugs are not without their side-effects either which range from rashes, sensitivity to sunlight and insomina and nightmares.

There is no cure or preventative for dengue fever, instead you should try the following remembering that dengue-bearing mosquitos tend to bite during the day, while their malarila-carrying cousins bite at sunset and night. 

• sleeping under a mosquito net
• wearing insect repellent containing at least 30% DEET
• wearing long sleeves and trousers especially in the evening around sun set
• wearing Permethrin treated clothing will kill mosquitoes and the chemical is remains effective for for approximately 6 months