Most people spend a significant amount of time planning an upcoming trip when they want to escape to a new destination. Getting sick while on holiday make it difficult to enjoy your time away and can also cause you to need medical attention before filing holiday claims. If you want to avoid getting sick on holidays, there are a few important tips to follow.
Avoid Stress
It can be easy to become stressed on holidays due to the amount of planning and work that is involved. You may become stressed when trying to catch your flight on time or if your hotel doesn’t have your reservation. The stress can make your immune system vulnerable to catching a cold or the flu. You can stay relaxed by keeping a flexible itinerary that isn’t overly busy and allows you to have plenty of downtime each day. Allow yourself to sleep in and lounge on the beach instead of being on the go from morning to night.
Staying organised will also help you to avoid sickness to keep the stress to a minimum. Scan all of your important documents to your computer and email them to yourself to ensure that you have backup copies available as you travel. Confirming each reservation that is made is also necessary to reduce the risk of mistakes.
Reduce the Risk of Food Contamination
It can be easy to become seriously ill from food poisoning by eating from street vendors where the food may not be thoroughly cooked. Food contamination can also occur if the ingredients were not handled properly with bacteria that may be present. All of the food that you consume should be served extremely hot. If you eat at street vendors, check to see that the prep environment is clean. Avoid consuming food that is shared at buffets or food that is left out for an extended period.
Sticking to familiar food in your diet will also make it easier to avoid consuming something that your stomach may not be used to in a different country. Food intolerances can quickly develop if your stomach isn’t accustomed to digesting certain types of products.
Wash Your Hands
From spending time in crowded airports to riding the bus, it can be easy to become sick due to some of the germs that you’re exposed to while on holidays. Make it a point to wash your hands regularly throughout the day, especially when you eat. Avoid touching your mouth or eyes as you explore different cities. Packing a bottle of hand sanitiser to keep with you at all times will also make it easy to keep germs away. Washing your hands under hot water for 30 seconds after using the restroom will also prove to be effective.
Drink Bottled Water
One of the most important steps to take while traveling abroad is to drink bottled water while you’re on the go. If you don’t know the purity of the water in the area that you’re visiting, drinking bottled water will keep you safe to avoid consuming bacteria that is present in the tap water. Although the locals may drink the tap water, your stomach may not have the right bacteria to protect you from becoming sick. Stick to bottled water and examine the seal to ensure that it’s not broken before you take a sip. You should also only bottled water when brushing your teeth each day.
Some travelers resort to using a water bottle that comes with a built-in filter, which can save money and may be more convenient when you don’t have access to bottled waters.
Get Vaccinated
Getting vaccinated before departing on your holiday can protect you from picking up diseases or viruses that are common in the area that you’re visiting. Research the vaccinations that are needed for the region or country that you plan to visit. Some of the most common vaccines are for hepatitis A, typhus, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever, polio, and hepatitis A.
If you begin to feel sick or weak and receive medical attention, you can you can seek holiday claims compensation and find out more by visiting our Holiday Claims page.