With the summer holidays approaching, lots of people are getting ready to head abroad and take a well-earned break. While travelling can be exciting and enriching (and a bit hectic), but it’s important to remember that health risks can vary quite a bit depending on where you are going, length of stay, planned activities, and your health status.

At Eastwood Health, we just want to make sure you and your family stay safe and well while you are away. Here’s some simple guidance to help you prepare for a healthy and safe trip before you take off this summer.

Before you zip up your suitcase, here are a few things worth ticking off to help keep your trip safe and stress-free:

Check Government Travel Guidance: Head over to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) website to check for any travel warnings, health outbreaks, entry rules, local laws, and even weather updates, especially if you’ve got layovers.

Ensure You Have Suitable Travel Insurance: Not all policies are equal. Double-check that yours covers every country you’re visiting, any activities you’ve got planned (yes, even the fun stuff like hiking or diving), plus medical expenses and emergency evacuations.

Carry a Valid EHIC/GHIC: If you're travelling to Europe, a European or Global Health Insurance Card (EHIC or GHIC) can help you access state healthcare if needed. Just remember, it’s not a replacement for proper travel insurance, but can help you to get state healthcare in a European country at a reduced cost or sometimes for free.

Review Your Vaccinations: Make sure routine UK vaccines, like MMR, are sorted for you and your family. You can ask your GP for your immunisation history, or check online at NHS.uk (England) or NHS Inform (Scotland).

Book a Travel Health Consultation: If possible, book a travel health consultation about 6–8 weeks before you go. But even if you’ve left it a bit late, it’s still worth having a chat, last-minute advice can still offer valuable protection advice.

Check Destination-Specific Health Advice: Some places may require or recommend vaccines, malaria tablets, or other precautions. Make sure you’ve checked what applies to your trip, especially if you're heading somewhere more remote.

Once you’re off on your adventure, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement but it’s worth keeping your health in mind too. A few small precautions can go a long way in helping you avoid common travel bugs and enjoy your trip to the fullest. Here are some tips to help you stay well while you’re away:

Wash your hands often, especially before eating or after using public transport. When soap and water aren’t available, hand sanitiser does the job.

Crowded places can be a breeding ground for colds, flu, COVID-19, and even measles, so try to be cautious.

If there’s been any talk of local outbreaks where you're visiting, stay informed and take extra care.

Staying hydrated is key, stick to bottled or treated water, especially in hot or unfamiliar places.

Go easy on the alcohol, it can dehydrate you and make you more likely to take risks you wouldn’t usually take.

Be a bit picky with food, especially street snacks or anything raw, no one wants their holiday ruined by an upset stomach.

Use a decent insect repellent, look for one with DEET or similar ingredients that actually work.

In the evenings or if you're heading into the countryside, long sleeves and trousers can help keep with the bites.

Check ahead if you're going somewhere where diseases like dengue, malaria, or Lyme disease are a risk.

Use a good sunscreen, wear a hat and sunglasses, and try to stay out of direct sun when it’s at its strongest.

Keep an eye on how you (and especially kids or older family members) are coping with the heat, signs of sunstroke or heat exhaustion can creep up quickly.

As tempting as it is to stroke a cute cat or dog, it’s best not to, some animals can carry serious diseases like rabies.

If you do get scratched or bitten, don’t wait, get medical advice straight away as rabies and other infections can be life-threatening if not treated immediately.

Not all holidays are the same, and some types of travel come with a few extra things to think about. Depending on where you’re going and what kind of trip you’ve planned, it might be worth doing a bit more research. At Eastwood Health, we recommend paying closer attention if you're heading off on:

• Cruises

• Pilgrimages (e.g. Hajj, Umrah)

• Expeditions and Volunteering

• High-Altitude Travel

• Long-Term Stays

• Package Holidays

• Travel for Medical Tourism

• Visiting Family Abroad

If you’re not feeling quite right after your trip, especially if you come down with a fever, feel achy or flu-like, get a rash, or have tummy troubles, don’t just brush it off. Get it checked out. Make sure to let your GP know where you’ve been, particularly if you travelled somewhere with a risk of malaria. It helps them figure out what might be going on, just in case.

If you're prepping for a trip, book an appointment with our pharmacy team. Booking a private consultation with us is quick and simple. You can easily schedule your appointment online through our booking page, we can help you travel smarter and stay healthier this summer. We can help with everything from travel health advice to picking up the right vaccinations or anti-malarials. At Eastwood Health Pharmacy, we offer:

• Travel health consultations

• Vaccinations

• Malaria prevention advice and tablets

• Health kits and travel essentials

• GOV.UK Travel Aware - Health Advice

• FCDO Foreign Travel Advice