Updated Advice for Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFRs)

The term VFR can refer to any traveller visiting friends and relatives regardless of the traveller’s country of residence. VFRs travelling from higher income countries to lower income countries tend to have a different risk profile to other travellers and have an increased risk of travel-related health problems including infections such as malaria and typhoid; they are also more likely to be hospitalised than tourist travellers. The reasons for increased risk in VFRs include the following:

• Often don’t seek pre travel advice.
• Under-estimate risks of ill health as they are ‘just visiting family/friends’.
• Are more likely to travel at the last minute.
• Stay for longer.
• Live as part of the local community and mix closely with the local population.

We have recently updated our advice sheets for VFRs on Travax and also on fitfortravel.