Immunisations Advice

Travelling abroad to different countries, with different climates and environments, can expose people to potential diseases and health risks. Diseases not present in UK e.g. yellow fever and malaria, are more common in some other regions of the world but by careful planning before travelling abroad, and by taking sensible precautions on the trip, the chance of catching these illnesses is much reduced.

All team members will be reminded about these precautions, and advised about health and hygiene issues on a regular basis during the trip, but feel free to chat about them beforehand, to help increase awareness.

One of the most important things to do with regard to travelling abroad is to go and visit the GP or local health centre to find out what immunisations the team member needs to have. We are not registered to be able to give out specific advice about different countries and the immunisation requirements for each one, but it is worth bearing in mind that some countries don’t allow people to enter the country unless they have certain vaccinations, so it is imperative to visit the GP at least 3 months prior to travel in order to get all required treatments.

Many infectious diseases are transmitted through contaminated food and water and insect bites, therefore the risk of catching these diseases is reduced by following some basic guidelines:

Water and food safety

• Don't drink tap water or use it to brush your teeth in countries with poor sanitation. Use filtered or bottled water instead.
• Don't put ice in drinks. Bottled fizzy drinks with an intact seal are usually safe, and so are boiled water and hot drinks made with boiled water.
• Don't eat salads, uncooked fruits and vegetables unless you've washed and peeled them yourself.
• Don't eat food that has been kept at room temperature in warm environments, or that has been exposed to flies.
• Don't drink unpasteurised milk, cheese, ice cream and other dairy products, or raw or undercooked seafood.

Avoiding insect bites

• Try not to go to highly infested areas. 
• Malaria mosquitoes bite between dusk and dawn, so being indoors during these hours can reduce the number of bites.
• Research shows that products containing the chemical DEET are the most effective insect repellents and are safe when used correctly.
• Mosquitoes can bite through tight clothing, so wear loose-fitting long trousers and long sleeves in the evenings in malaria hotspots.
• Sleep under a mosquito net to avoid being bitten at night. Carry a small sewing kit so that repairs can be made to any holes that develop.