Fodors.com offers a convenient check-list of medical necessities for the traveler.
They also give the web address for The International Society of Travel Medicine, which has a global Travel Clinic Locator feature. Make sure to verify any medical referral information you might find in your travel guidebooks before you go so that you have up-to-date phone numbers, etc. in case of an emergency.
The Library has several titles to help you plan a healthy vacation.
Check out Exercises for Airplanes if you have a long flight ahead of you. Fitness for Travelers will give you some tips on how to stay fit while you are away.
If you are headed to an underdeveloped area there are titles such as Staying Healthy in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
There are general guides such as The Rough Guide to Travel Health and guides for people with specific illnesses such as The Diabetes Travel Companion.
If you are taking the kids along, we can offer Safe and Sound: Healthy Travel with Children and Take Your Pediatrician with You.
The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has a travelers’ health page that is an absolute gold mine of information. Did you know about the risk of acquiring measles in China? And that you should take your own supply of Tylenol because 10% to 30% of medicines sold in other countries may be counterfeit? You can review cruise ship health inspection scores or listen to a podcast for health tips for students studying abroad. Best of all, they have a list of destinations around the globe and all you have to do is click on the name of the country you are planning to visit to get pages of travel notices, safety and security information and vaccination advisories.
Wherever you’re headed, take a few minutes to read up and make sure your vacation is a safe and healthy one. Send us a postcard!
