Staying Healthy if Travelling Abroad this Summer 2023

As the summer holiday season is upon us, 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 COVID-19, entry requirements, safety issues, extremes of climate, and local laws and customs 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
• apply for an EHIC/GHIC card in advance of travel (noting that this 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 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
• Measles outbreaks are on the rise in the UK and abroad. For country-specific information on outbreaks, see the outbreaks section
• The fitfortravel COVID-19: Health Considerations for Travel page provides advice on reducing the risk of exposure to coronavirus (COVID-19) before, during and after travel
• The southern hemisphere influenza season runs between April to September

Taking safe food and water precautions:

• 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

Practicing effective insect and tick bite avoidance at all times of the day and night:

• Summer months can lead to an increase in biting insects; travellers should be made aware of how to reduce and manage insect bites
• There has been a recent rise in mosquito-borne and tick-borne diseases in Europe; check the outbreaks section for country-specific information
• Travellers visiting countries where malaria is present must be aware of their risk of infection; the ABCD of malaria prevention should always be discussed.

Avoiding animal bites:

• Animal bites are not uncommon in travellers, and if not managed appropriately at the time of injury, can potentially cause rabies, tetanus or 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

Practicing safer sex

The use of condoms and regular sexual health testing can help reduce the risk of blood borne viruses and other sexual health risks, including mpox during travel

Practicing sun safety

• 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, Also, in some countries, the penalties for possessing drugs can be very severe; always check the the FCDO foreign travel advice 'local laws and customs section' for destination-specific information.

Considering Personal Safety.  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:

• Cruise Travel
• Expeditions and Volunteering
• High Altitude Travel
• Longer Stay Travellers
• Package Tourist
• Travelling Abroad for Medical Treatment
• Travelling Abroad to attend Festivals and other Gatherings
• Visiting Friends and Relatives

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

• The risk of FGM for girls travelling to high-risk countries during the summer months (also known colloquially as the ‘cutting season’) should always be considered during the 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 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

• GOV.UK Travel Aware – Staying safe and healthy abroad
• FCDO Foreign Travel Advice