Preparing For Leisure Travel

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Arcarin Thongchamleunsouk
  • 2nd Medical Group, Public Health Flight

While we all love traveling to new places, it is important to know how to stay safe and healthy with the proper preparations to minimize health risks. It is essential to know what public health concerns you and your family members may be at risk for, while on leisure travel outside of the United States. To help prepare for travel abroad, you may contact the 2nd Medical Group public health clinic for medical recommendations. Discussing your travel plans is helpful to minimize the impact to your overall health. This includes destinations, lodging, dates of travel, and mode of travel.

Public health recommends that travelers are current on routine vaccinations, in addition to those that are country specific in accordance with federal and international recommendations for the travel locations. Because the risks to certain diseases may be higher outside of the United States, travelers who are not vaccinated may be exposed to ongoing disease transmission in these areas. Public health will also provide travelers with education on food and water precautions because unclean food and water can cause illness. Insect precautions are preventive measures to ensure you are protected from vector borne diseases such as yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria. Personal hygiene is another precautionary measure to minimize health risks. Various high altitude and water activities can also impact your health and medicinal needs. Being proactive is wise when it comes to preparing for any upcoming travel outside of the United States.

Taking the time to plan ahead for your trip is important to your overall health. Public health encourages all beneficiaries to contact our office at (318) 456-6599 or stop by the 2nd floor of the Medical Treatment Facility, Room 2082, for additional information and resources regarding your upcoming travel plans.