No matter where you’re travelling to this summer – whether it’s an international adventure with the kids or a beachside break with friends – it’s essential that you plan. There’s much to arrange before you board your plane, but whilst renewing your passport and packing plenty of outfits are already on the list, make sure that a visit to your local travel clinic is also included in your pre-travel plans. 

Before your departure date

These specialist centres provide international travellers like yourself with everything you need for a safe summer, and booking a travel clinic appointment should be the first task checked off your list this June. 

Since different destinations come with different health risks, your appointment will include a review of your travel arrangements, itinerary, and any activities that you have planned. You will also be asked a few questions about your own medical history and that of your travel companions, and answering these questions provides the practitioner with the information they will need to develop your personalised travel health plan. 

This comprehensive plan will cover:

• Details of any health risks present at your destination. 
• Any local diseases that you may be exposed to whilst travelling, including infection control measures. 
• Advice on avoiding preventable health issues. 
• Recommendations for travel vaccines, especially if they are legally required to enter the country. 

Your practitioner will also be able to provide essential travel medicines, such as antimalarial tablets, but it will be up to you to take the full course during your trip, and to finish all remaining medication even after you return home.

Pre-travel vaccinations

International holidaymakers are advised to attend a travel clinic at least 4 (ideally 6) weeks before they are scheduled to travel. This is because the body requires time to develop its immunity and many common vaccinations are administered across a course of doses, so don’t leave it too late to get vaccinated!

The most routine travel vaccinations include: 

• Yellow fever
• Meningitis
• Hepatitis A and B
• Rabies 
• Encephalitis
• Polio

As well as boosters to keep you up-to-date with all your regular vaccinations. Don’t worry if you don’t yet know which travel vaccinations you need: your practitioner will be able to make the necessary recommendations to keep you and your family safe, and provide you all with any vaccination certificates that are required for your dream destination.

During your summer adventures

Your local travel clinic will be able to advise you on how to avoid any potential infections or active health threats, but it is up to you to follow their advice and keep yourself safe. 

Here is everything you need to remember when travelling abroad this summer: 

• Stock up on your travel medication, as well as your regular medication. 
• Carry a first aid kit for minor accidents. 
• Use insect repellent and mosquito nets to avoid any insect bites. 
• Stick to bottled or filtered water. 
• Maintain good personal hygiene, especially after using public transport. 
• Identify the nearest hospital in every region that you visit.

And, if you do start to show any symptoms once you arrive back in the UK, then don’t delay visiting your doctor for quick testing and treatment.

Book your appointment today

Travel advice is changing all the time as localised infections spike and new diseases emerge, and travel clinics are the place to go for the most up-to-date advice for your travel plans. 

So, before you take the trip of a lifetime, first take a trip down to Heathrow Medical. Their London-based travel clinic is your one-stop destination for advice, vaccinations, and preventive measures, and you can book your whole family in for an appointment by clicking here.