No one wants to get sick while they travel, and with some countries that is easier said than done.
Dr. Johnmark Opondo with the Saskatoon Health Region sees many people leave to “chase the sun” this time of year and staying healthy is easy when you know what to look for.
The first step is getting some travel advice.
“It is advisable for you to attend a travel consultation. You can either attend at an International Travel Centre, whether they offer you a consultation with a variety of vaccines or consult your physician, at least,” he said.
There are things that travelers need to consider when they trade their winter jackets for bikinis.
Proper food and water safety are a concern but there are also insects to worry about. Mosquitoes can be a problem for Canadians while abroad.
“When we think about things like malaria, it can be very dangerous - even life threatening - for non-immune Canadians traveling to places like the Dominican Republic or places like South America where malaria is still prevalent,” he siad.
Other mosquito-borne illnesses include dengue fever and chikungunya, which may not be fatal but can still cause harm.
Along with medication and prophylactic to take before traveling for malaria, understanding good mosquito prevention practices can significantly reduce the risk of contracting these diseases.
“Avoid the peak biting times. Mosquitoes bite you early in the morning, at dawn, or at dusk, so avoid those times, but if you are going to be out at those times, wear long sleeves, sleep in a room that is mosquito net proofed or has air conditioning,” he said.
Opondo said that food-borne illness or travelers’ diarrhea is the most common illness contracted while out of country. It’s got a lot to do with the different bacterial flora that are in the environment.
“Food isn’t 100 per cent sterile and sometimes you might be exposed to bacteria that wouldn’t normally cause disease but because it is a different type of flora, you getting exposed to that kind of food can cause diarrhea.”
Travelers need to be careful when it comes to food and water while traveling. Making sure they are in a place that are licensed and know how to prepare food properly is an important part of staying healthy.
“There (are) a lot of food vendors (which) is very tempting when you are out on the street. Those kind of situations are a big concern,” he said.
Drinking bottled water or making sure water is treated can save anyone from water-borne diseases.
Different medications taken before leaving are sometimes prescribed to avoid travelers’ diarrhea in remote locations.
“If you are going to a travel destination where you’re a couple of hours away from where you can get assistance, we do recommend a standby treatment in those situations,” Opondo said.
Th majority of medications that doctors request people take before traveling are usually done for certain destinations to avoid severe, deathly malaria.
Advice for what travelers need to know is available through doctors or travel clinics. All they have to is follow it.
“Know your travel destination, know what you are going to be doing, then follow the advice,” he said.
