Planning to go on holiday in the tropics is exciting, with the glorious beaches you’ll be sunbathing in and the beautiful scenery you’ll be exploring. Don’t forget that you need to be thinking about your health first and foremost when travelling to tropical and subtropical areas. There’s a range of neglected tropical diseases that are prevalent in these areas that can cause serious illness if you aren’t properly protected.
To keep your tropical getaway magical and stress-free, we’ll guide you through everything you need to do to ensure complete tropical diseases protection.
Making preparations to travel
Having a health checklist prepared before you travel is the simplest way to protect against holiday diseases. We’ve put together a handy list of things you should be checking off as you plan your trip:
- Research the particular region you’re visiting and make a note of the common illnesses that affect tourists.
- Invest in travel insurance to ensure you’re covered in case of any medical emergency.
- Get a medical checkup to make sure you’re good and healthy to travel.
- Update your vaccinations and ask about other immunisations you need.
- Pack a medical kit for yourself and any children travelling with you. Pack enough medication for your needs or take a prescription.
These actions can really save physical and financial trouble in case of any illness when you’re abroad in tropical areas and anywhere else for that matter. Be sure to look into them!
Vaccinations for travelling
There are diseases common to tropical areas that are completely preventable by getting the appropriate vaccines. You can get free vaccinations for hepatitis A, typhoid and cholera on the NHS. These will protect you and others against those diseases when travelling. There are vaccines you need to pay for diseases like yellow fever, rabies and hepatitis B. If you need protection against any of these before you travel then these vaccines are worth considering.
Bear in mind that you should get your doctor’s advice before taking these vaccines. Whether a vaccine is suitable for you can depend on:
- Your age and medical history
- Your destination and accommodation
- The season you’re travelling in
- The length of your stay
- Your means of travel (for example, buses, trains, backpacking)
Protecting against bacteria
One of the biggest draws of any tropical region is the exotic food and drink. Unfortunately, the dense population in these areas can cause contamination in food and water which may cause a nasty bacterial infection.
Typhoid fever and hepatitis A are the most common diseases of this kind. Milder symptoms are diarrhoea and vomiting while more severe symptoms are dehydration and a rapid heart rate. Obviously, travel vaccines are the best way to way to protect against these diseases but you need to also practise good personal hygiene:
- Wash your hands before and after visiting the bathroom. Keep hand sanitiser on you at all times.
- Only drink water from a properly sealed bottle and avoid ice in your drinks.
- Avoid uncooked fruit unless you’ve washed and peeled them yourself.
- Ensure seafood is thoroughly cooked before eating.
Staying safe from mosquito bites
Cuisine and scenery aren’t the only exotic things you’ll be experiencing on your journey to the tropics, you’ll also be coming into contact with some exotic insects. Mosquitos and other bugs can carry some nasty diseases like malaria and yellow fever. As always vaccines can help to protect against these diseases but to keep out mosquitos while away in the tropics try some of these tips:
- Bring a lot of insect repellent that contains at least 30% of diethyltoluamide (DEET) and use it regularly throughout your trip.
- Wear long-sleeve shirts and long trousers to cover up as much skin as you can to protect yourself from bites.
- Get yourself a mosquito net for your bed, especially if your accommodation isn’t air-conditioned.
- Don’t wear perfume or aftershave. It can attract mosquitos!
Summary
All this can seem quite overwhelming and scary since a holiday is meant to be focused on fun, relaxation and trying new things! These are just safety measures to make sure the good times aren’t interrupted by any kind of health scare. Plus if you make sure you’ve sorted your tropical disease protection well in advance of your hotel then you give yourself that peace of mind to fully relax and enjoy yourself. Remember to keep safe while you’re out there and enjoy the tropics for the amazing holiday destination that they are!