As the summer holiday season approaches, many people are preparing to travel abroad.
Health risks vary between country to country. The individual risk to each traveller will depend on their destination(s), any stopover(s), overall health, length of stay and planned activities, and can be determined by undertaking a comprehensive risk assessment.
Below is a summary of the general travel health advice which should be considered for all travellers prior to travelling abroad this summer.
Advice for Travellers
Prior to travelling abroad, all travellers should:
- review the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice for information on entry requirements, safety and security, health risks and legal differences at their destination(s)
- have valid comprehensive travel insurance that covers all planned activities, destinations, expenses and evacuation cover in an emergency, and share details of their policy with next of kin and travel companions. Travellers to Europe should note that an EHIC/GHIC card isn’t a replacement for travel insurance.
- be up to date with all routine immunisations recommended for life in the UK, including MMR
- review the country specific advice for their destination(s) for information on advisable recommended travel vaccinations, malaria risk, outbreak alerts and other health risks
- seek a travel health consultation at least 6-8 weeks in advance of travel (even if travel is sooner, a travel health consultation can still be beneficial)
General Travel Health Advice
All travellers should be advised how to protect themselves against health risks, by:
Exercising care with respiratory and hand hygiene.
Infectious diseases such as COVID-19, measles and influenza can spread easily between people in crowded areas:
- Traveller’s diarrhoea is a common cause of illness during travel
- Travellers should be advised to drink plenty of safe fluids, and limit alcohol intake to avoid becoming dehydrated, especially if the weather is hot – see advice on Heat and Humidity
Summer months can lead to an increase in biting insects; all travellers should be made aware of how to reduce and manage insect bites:
- Animal bites are not uncommon in travellers, and if not managed appropriately at the time of injury, can potentially cause rabies, tetanus or other bacterial wound infections
- Travellers should be made aware of the need to perform first aid and to seek urgent medical attention following any animal bite or scratch, or exposure to animal saliva
There has been an increase in drug-resistant sexually transmitted infections in UK travellers returning from abroad.
- This can help reduce the risk of sunstroke and other heat disorders in warm weather, as well as skin cancer
Carrying a simple first aid kit to self-manage basic health problems
Being aware that alcohol and/or drug use can lead to an increase in risk-taking behaviours which may lead to incidents such as accidents and/or injuries occurring:
- In some countries, the penalties for possessing drugs can be very severe; always check the the FCDO travel advice 'local laws and customs section' for destination-specific information.
- Methanol poisoning from consuming counterfeit alcohol has recently been reported in several countries – travellers should be made aware of the risk and how to protect themselves.
Travellers should:
- be advised to read the FCDO travel advice for their destination(s) for information on local laws and customs, safety and security issues and entry requirements (travellers can also sign up for travel advice email alerts for their destination)
- be made aware of potential safety implications and dangers of leaving friends alone in ‘party destinations’, and encouraged to ‘stick with their mates’, keep an eye on their drinks, share copies of passports and accommodation details with each other and keep in contact with each other on nights out
- be aware of passport safety tips and replacement process in event of being lost or stolen
- know how to access help and services from the UK government when abroad
Type of Travel
Information specific to each of the following types of travel is available:
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
- The risk of FGM for girls travelling to high-risk countries during the UK summer months (also known colloquially as the ‘cutting season’) should always be considered during the pre-travel risk assessment.
After Travel
Travellers should be advised that if they become unwell in the weeks/months after travel, particularly with a fever, flu-like symptoms, rash and/or diarrhoea, they should always seek prompt medical advice, and ensure they mention their travel history to the health professional, particularly if they have travelled to a malaria-endemic country.
Further Resources
