Getting sick is never a pleasant experience. Is there something worse than getting sick when you’re home? Yes there is. Getting sick while on vacation; it is agony. You’ve ended up unable to do anything in a place where you had dreamed of coming for so long. Instead of exploring a foreign land as you envisioned, you’re just lying in bed cursing your luck as all your plans fade into smoke. It’s hard not to feel sorry for a person in this unfortunate situation. You can avoid this by being careful and following these tips.
Going to your Doctor before your Trip
A per-checkup with your physician is always a good idea before you embark on a vacation. He will check if you are fit for travel or not. If he advises you to take it easy for a little while, you can always postpone your vacation instead of going and falling sick there. This rule should be followed by everyone, especially those with known medical conditions.
Medical History
As a precaution make a copy of your medical history and store it in a flash drive. This is a safe and easy method to ensure that you do not have trouble if you have to visit a hospital when you are abroad. You’ll get treated much more quickly instead of first getting into the hassle of explaining your entire history first. It should include any allergies you have, all the medications you are taking currently as well as several emergency contact numbers. It’s also a good idea to have everything translated to the language of the country you’ll be visiting. It makes everything even easier. Make several copies for each person traveling with you. And take a hard copy as well in case the USB drive gets corrupted. It might seem a tad too much but it is important. Put the flash drive in a safe place so you don’t lose it.
Your Prescription Med
A golden rule of traveling is to always take an extra week’s worth of your medicines with you. This is in case of unexpected delays or a longer stay at your destination. While some medicines can be bought at the local pharmacy some might not be available so it’s always better to be careful. And to get through airport security quicker, it’s suggested you put your medicines in clear plastic bottles and label the bottles clearly.
Travel Insurance
Personal Health insurance often does not cover medical emergencies you might experience abroad. It’s better to get good travel insurance so you can breathe easy when going. Check the travel insurance policy carefully though and make sure it covers the country you’ll be visiting.
Websites and Apps
Make use of the array of online resources and websites that give information on travel health as well as travel healthy tips. Such resources include the CDC – the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department. If you’re worried about eating food abroad, CDC has another app called ‘Can I Eat This’ which will let you assess how risky it is to eat or drink something.