Taking time to rest, have a short break or booking a holiday is a great way to renew and refresh your body and mind. Whether you are travelling alone backpacking, going on a cruise or city break with friends or family, making memories is priceless.
Travel vaccinations are an essential part of your trip as they will protect your health from many worldwide diseases when you are away from home. These are illnesses which might not only spoil your holiday but might also pose a risk to your life.
Making sure you check your vaccinations 6-8 weeks before you go, should allow you enough time to book a clinic appointment and have any vaccines that are recommended for your chosen destination. Be sure that you complete the full course of any treatment to ensure you are covered fully. It’s a great opportunity to check too that your current vaccinations are up to date and to find out if you need any boosters.
Diseases vary in different places in the world, so to take away some of the hassle of travelling abroad, we have added Travel Vaccine checker.
Now you can quickly see what vaccinations you need to travel to a country, how long before you travel you need to take them and where you can get your vaccinations from locally.
How can you access Travel Vaccine?
- Step 1. Check what travel vaccine you require before your trip on our website
- Step 2. Enter your destination, travel dates and press search
- Step 3. View your mandatory and recommended vaccines
If you think you may need a vaccination for your trip you can enter your postcode to find out where your nearest clinic is and book an appointment.
It is always advisable to talk to a travel clinic specialist before your holiday to understand what vaccines are right for you. People who may have different requirements include children, older people, people with a weakened immune system, people who are expected to be in contact with certain animals and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Further health prevention during your trip
Diseases can be spread in different ways so we have some tips to help avoid illness as much as possible whilst you are away:
- Avoid insect bites. Use DEET insect repellent, use a mosquito net while you sleep, wear trousers and long-sleeved shirts, avoid perfumes
- Avoid eating and drinking contaminated food and water. Avoid cooked foods that have been allowed to cool, peeled fruits, raw vegetables, salads and unpasteurised dairy foods (milk or cheese). Only drink canned or bottled water or beverages made with boiled water
- Wash your hands often with soap or hand sanitiser. Avoid swimming in freshwater rivers or lakes that may have sewage or animal faeces in.
- If you are worried about any symptoms, perhaps you have diarrhoea, a high fever of are dehydrated, make sure that you contact a medical professional. If you do have a fever whilst on holiday, make sure that you contact your doctor when you get home too.
What’s coming next from DocHQ?
We’re working on a whole range of travel features that we’ll roll out soon. Some of them are:
- Find out if your prescribed medicine is legal in the country you are visiting
- Malaria tablets deivered straight to your door
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DocHQ Ltd is a Health Tech company improving choices. We help you connect efficiently to health support and advice whether you are at home, work or travelling. See our website for our services or call us on 0330 088 0645.
