American Family Care (AFC) Urgent Care, 907 Oak Tree Avenue, South Plainfield.
With summer in full swing, it’s time to get ready for your summer vacation! Before you start packing your bags and planning your itinerary, make sure you and your family’s health is in check before you hit the road or board a plane.
Traveling outside of your normal environment exposes you to all sorts of different bacteria and illnesses, which could cause your travel experience to be less than enjoyable, especially if you get sick.
From chills and fever to itchy skin irritations and stomach aches, no one wants to spend their vacation sick or sitting in a doctor’s office, when they could be out on an adventure. Most travel-related illnesses and accidents are minor, but some can be serious. Travelers should research the potential health risks that they may encounter and prepare themselves prior to leaving home.
Here are three things you should do to prepare for a healthy holiday.
Pack a First Aid kit
Accidents can happen at any given moment, which is why you should make sure you have a first-aid kit. Items like bandages, antibacterial creams, over-the-counter pain killers and antacids are some examples of what to include in your kit.
If you are on preventative prescription medications, it is recommended to make sure you have enough medication to get you through your vacation and a little beyond, in the event your vacation is extended.
Have a medical checkup
Make sure any activity on your itinerary won’t put your health at risk by having it cleared by a physician prior to your trip. This includes making sure you don’t have any underlying health conditions that could raise a potential medical concern during your trip.
Update your vaccinations
If traveling outside of the United States, some countries require you to have specific vaccinations prior to entering in the country. As some vaccinations are not readily available and may take a few weeks or to become protective, it is recommended that you plan to receive your vaccinations six to eight weeks prior to leaving for your destination.
Our travel medicine program includes vaccinations for diseases such as:
- Hepatitis
- Typhoid
- Malaria
- Yellow Fever
While we recommend visiting our center a few weeks before your trip, we also accommodate last minute travelers. Our physicians will advise you on which vaccines are suitable for you depending on your medical history, age, destination, length of stay and season in which you’re traveling.
For more information about our travel medicine program, please contact us at 908-222-3500 or visit us at 907 Oak Tree Avenue, South Plainfield.
