Reports of Americans who have experienced injury or illness abroad have been making the news this summer, particularly involving the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Before traveling abroad, it’s important to takes steps to stay healthy. By planning ahead, you’ll also be prepared if you fall ill and require assistance to return to your home country.
A Checklist Before You Travel
Planning for a vacation is exciting, from booking hotels and flights to researching fun things to do at your destination. But if you are traveling abroad, taking steps to stay healthy on your trip is just as important as other pre-travel preparations. Here is a list of things all travelers should do to protect their health before planning a trip outside the United States.
Check with your doctor about pre-travel vaccines. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a list of country-specific vaccines it recommends for travelers from the United States. In some cases, countries require proof of vaccines for entry. Some vaccines require multiple doses to provide protection, so put this task on the top of your pre-travel list.
Talk to your doctors about health conditions that could be affected by travel. Long flights, cramped conditions and travel delays can be stressful on our bodies. Talk to your doctor about your travel plans, and ask for a signed letter that details your condition and the generic names of ay medicines you are taking to treat it. Be sure to pack this information in your carry-on bag. This information could be extremely important if you become sick or injured while traveling abroad.
Get copies of prescriptions. While you are at your doctor’s office, ask for copies of your prescriptions in case your bags are lost or stolen.
Refill your prescriptions and pack them in your carry-on bag. Bring enough doses to last the duration of your trip, plus a few days’ extra in case you are delayed. Make sure to keep them in their original, labeled containers or bottles.
Make a hard copy of your emergency contacts. It’s great to have such information in your cell phone. But if your phone gets lost, stolen or broken, you or your travel companions may need another way to reach family members or your doctors. Make sure your list includes contact information for the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country you are visiting.
Check the terms of your medical insurance policy. You’ll want to know if care outside the United States is covered. If not, consider purchasing travel insurance.
Research medical assistance and transport services. If you or a family member experiences an injury or illness abroad, you may need to work with a medical assistance and transport service to ensure safe travel home. Take a few minutes to research such services and add them to your hard-copy emergency contacts list.
While at Your Destination
These guidelines from the CDC and Johns Hopkins Medicine can help keep you healthy when traveling outside your home country.
Follow all food and drink recommendations. Vacations may be a time to relax, but not when it comes to what you eat and drink. Follow safe eating and drinking habits, such as eating only hot food, dry or packaged food, food you have peeled or washed yourself, and food prepared at restaurants, not by street vendors. Avoid drinking water unless is bottled or hot. Avoid drinks made with ice or served from open containers. You can find a longer list of food safety tips on the CDC’s website.
Be aware of your surroundings.This includes everything from being careful when using public transportation, to staying on guard when walking after dark, to taking selfies in scenic locations. Being on vacation doesn’t mean turning off your brain; follow the same rules you do at home to keep yourself safe.
Avoid swimming in freshwater lakes or streams. If you don’t know that a body of water is free of fecal matter and other contaminants, don’t swim in it.
Protect yourself from bug bites. If you’re in a country with a risk of mosquito or tick-transmitted diseases, protect yourself. Use bug spray and wear lightweight, long sleeve clothing.
If You Need Medical Assistance and Transport
If you experience an injury or illness abroad, you may be able to get appropriate care in the country you are visiting. As a first step, contact that country’s U.S. embassy or consulate to request a list of nearby health care facilities or medical providers. A list of contact information for embassies by country is provided at usembassy.gov.
If the care needed is not accessible at the country you’re visiting, you may need to travel back to your home country to be seen by a specialist or other medical professional.
SentinelMED provides domestic and international medical transport and medical repatriation services for travelers who have more serious or complicated medical concerns.
SentinelMED also can arrange for medical escorts to accompany travelers and help them navigate the complexities of long-distance travel. Traveling on a commercial aircraft with an air medical transport is often the best option for patients who become sick or are injured while traveling far from home. Such aircraft are better equipped for the long-distance travel and are a cost-effective alternative to air ambulance services.
At SentinelMED, we understand the complexity of delivering exceptional care to the sick, elderly or injured patient who is away from home and in an unfamiliar environment. Please contact us if you’d like to learn more about our services and staff.
