Travel Checklist: Stay Safe and Healthy on Your Holiday

Planning a holiday is exciting, but ensuring you stay healthy while travelling is just as important as booking flights and packing your bags. Whether you’re heading on a city break, a beach holiday, or an adventure trip, being prepared can help prevent illness and ensure a stress-free experience. At Bourne End Pharmacy Travel Clinic, we’ve created this essential travel checklist to help you take the right precautions before you go and while you’re abroad.

1. Get the Right Travel Vaccinations

Many destinations require travel vaccinations to protect against diseases that aren’t common in the UK. Some vaccines need to be administered weeks in advance, so check your requirements early. Before you book, check vaccine requirements for your destination – some countries require proof of vaccination for entry. Our pharmacists can advise you on essential vaccines. These include:

• – Hepatitis A and B
• – Typhoid
• – Cholera
• – Yellow Fever (some countries require a certificate)
• – Rabies (for rural or high-risk areas)

It is also worth ensuring that your routine vaccines are up to date – such as MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) and tetanus.

Finally, it is also important to carry your vaccination records with you, as some countries require proof of immunisation.

2. Pack a Comprehensive First Aid Kit

A well-stocked first aid kit is essential for dealing with minor injuries, common illnesses, or unexpected health concerns while travelling.

✔ Pain relief – Paracetamol or ibuprofen for headaches, fevers, or muscle pain.

✔ Antiseptic cream and wipes – For treating cuts and insect bites.

✔ Plasters and bandages – To cover blisters, cuts, and minor wounds.

✔ Insect repellent– Particularly important for destinations where mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever are prevalent.

✔ Anti-diarrhoea medication – To manage traveller’s diarrhoea and dehydration.

✔ Antihistamines – Useful for allergies, insect bites, or mild reactions.

✔ Rehydration salts – Help replace lost fluids in hot climates or after illness and prevent dehydration.

✔ Motion sickness tablets – Essential for cruises, long journeys, or high-altitude travel.

✔ Prescription medications – Bring enough for your entire trip, plus extra in case of delays.

✔ Emergency contact list – Include numbers for your GP, travel insurance provider, and local medical facilities.

3. Travel Health Precautions

Taking care of your health while abroad will help prevent illness and ensure an enjoyable holiday.

✔ Check travel insurance covers medical emergencies – Ensure it includes hospital treatment, evacuation, and repatriation.

✔ Stay hydrated – Drink plenty of water, especially in hot climates.

✔ Be cautious with food and drink – Avoid tap water unless you know it’s safe, including ice in drinks. Eat food that is freshly cooked and served hot, and be wary of unpasteurised dairy products in high-risk areas.

✔ Use sun protection – Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen, wear a hat, and stay in the shade during peak hours.

✔ Practice good hygiene – Wash hands frequently and carry hand sanitiser.

✔ Take precautions against insect bites – Wear long sleeves and trousers in high-risk areas and sleep under a mosquito net if needed. Use insect repellent containing DEET.

✔ Be aware of altitude sickness – If travelling to high altitudes, ascend gradually and stay hydrated.

✔ Prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) – Move regularly on long flights and consider compression socks.

✔ Check medication regulations – Some countries have restrictions on certain medicines. Carry a doctor’s note if necessary.

4. Additional Precautions for Specific Holidays & Activities

Different types of holidays require extra planning to stay safe and healthy.

✔ Beach Holidays – Protect yourself from jellyfish stings or coral injuries, avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids, and be cautious to follow safety guidelines when participating in water sports.

✔ Ski or Winter Holidays – Wear high-factor sunscreen to protect against snow glare, stay hydrated to prevent altitude sickness, and carry pain relief and muscle rubs for aches and strains.

✔ Adventure or Safari Trips – Ensure vaccinations and malaria prevention are up to date, and pack a reliable water purification method.

✔ Cruises & Long-Haul Travel – Take motion sickness tablets if prone to nausea, carry first aid essentials, and be mindful of outbreaks of illness such as norovirus.

5. Before You Travel – Final Checks

A few last-minute checks will help ensure your trip goes smoothly.

✔ Check passport validity – Many countries require at least six months’ validity.

✔ Arrange travel insurance – Make sure it includes health cover.

✔ Know local emergency numbers – Be aware of how to get medical help abroad.

✔ Make copies of important documents – Store digital and printed copies of your passport, insurance, and vaccination records.

✔ Check COVID-19 requirements – Some destinations may still have entry restrictions or vaccine requirements.

✔ Plan ahead for jet lag – Adjust your sleep schedule before you travel if changing time zones.

Book Your Travel Vaccines & Health Advice at Bourne End Pharmacy

Ensuring your travel checklist is complete will help you enjoy a safe and healthy holiday. At Bourne End Pharmacy, we provide expert advice on travel vaccinations, first aid essentials, and health precautions tailored to your destination.

Contact us today or book your travel vaccine consultation and let us help you prepare for a worry-free trip.

This blog was written on behalf of Bourne End Pharmacy by Pharmacy Mentor.