Most travel health problems are entirely preventable. The trick is starting early enough that you have options, rather than waiting until the airport is two days away.
Six to eight weeks before you travel
This is the sweet spot for a travel consultation. Some vaccines, like Hepatitis B, need a course of doses spread over weeks. Others, like Yellow Fever, require a certificate that comes into effect ten days after the jab.
- Book a travel consultation with the pharmacy
- Share your full itinerary, including stopovers
- Mention any prescription medication you take
Three weeks before you travel
Make sure any antimalarial tablets have arrived and that you have read the instructions on when to start taking them. Some need to be started a week before exposure.
The week before
- Pack a small first aid kit: plasters, antiseptic, painkillers, anti-diarrhoea tablets
- Take a photo of any prescriptions in case you lose them
- Check the foreign office advice for your destination
The day you fly
Carry essential medicines in your hand luggage, not the hold. Take a fresh paper or digital copy of any prescriptions with you.
Preparation buys peace of mind. The earlier you start, the calmer the whole trip feels.
Want to talk it through with a pharmacist?
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