Summer travel is exciting, but a health issue on the road can derail even the best-planned vacation.
A little preparation before you leave goes a long way toward keeping you and your family feeling your best, whether you’re driving a few hours or flying overseas.
Before and during your trip, keep these tips in mind:
- See your primary care provider at least four to six weeks before international travel. Some destinations require vaccines or medications—like malaria prevention—that need time to take effect.
- Make sure routine vaccines are up to date, including flu, COVID-19, tetanus and hepatitis A or B.
- Pack a travel health kit with prescription medications (plus extras), pain relievers, antidiarrheal medication, sunscreen and insect repellent.
- Stay hydrated, especially on long flights and in hot climates. Airplane cabins are low in humidity, and heat can quickly lead to dehydration.
- Be cautious about food and water safety when traveling internationally. When in doubt, stick to bottled or treated water and cooked foods from reputable sources.
- Protect yourself from the sun and insects. Use broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher and EPA-registered repellent, particularly in regions where mosquito-borne illnesses are a concern.
- If you have a chronic condition, carry a summary of your medical history and a list of your medications in case you need care away from home.
Adora Chinelo Ilochonwu, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician with Holy Cross Health Partners in Kensington, recommends that patients think of a pre-travel visit as an investment in the trip itself. “A pre-travel appointment is one of the most overlooked parts of trip planning. I help patients understand what vaccines or precautions they may need based on where they’re going. Then, they can focus on enjoying the trip rather than managing a preventable illness,” says Dr. Ilochonwu.
Don’t wait until the week before your departure. Holy Cross Health primary care offers same-day and advance appointments, to help you prepare, so you have the peace of mind when you go.