Travel is essentially the movement of individuals between different far away geographical locations. Travel can usually be done by foot, by car, bike, plane, train, bus or other transport mode, with or without baggage, and is one way or another transported from one place to another. The term “travel” can also cover traveling within a country, as in traveling from one city to another city, or traveling within a continent or zone of a country.
There are several travel restrictions imposed by various countries or regions of the world. For instance, travelers to some countries are prohibited from traveling to people carrying the H7 virus, a disease carried by some strains of the Lassa virus. This virus has been known to cause various illnesses and infections ranging from fever to AIDS. Some other diseases that may be imported into a country through travelers include SARS-TCP, hepatitis B, meningitis A, rabies, cholera, typhoid, dysentery, traveler’s diarrhea, dysentery due to improperly sterilized equipment, leptospirosis, ticks and other parasites, and food poisoning. Travelers are advised to invest in adequate hygiene items for self-cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting themselves during travel.
Certain medical conditions like diabetes, epilepsy, cardiovascular disease, preexisting heart conditions, obesity, epilepsy, preexisting skin conditions, certain types of cancer, and mental illness require travelers to have their immune systems fully immunized. This is because they can potentially make contact with infectious agents when they travel between countries. In addition, travelers who may have problems with certain insect bites need to have their skin properly treated. Travelers also need to have received recommended vaccinations or be in possession of an immunization card if they will be traveling to countries that do not offer travel vaccines or safe immunizations. Vacationers may also need to have a bifold medical travel policy in place if they will be traveling in the same hotel as a patient.
If tourists have the ability and experience traveling between countries where vaccines and infectious agents are not available, they should take additional measures to protect themselves. While there is no threat of acquiring a disease while traveling, some travelers arrive at airports with contaminated objects or come into contact with someone who has the virus. Some travelers arrive on vacation without a vaccination card and do not know they might have to take additional measures to protect themselves. If visiting countries where vaccination coverage is not available, they should receive one-time doses of a routinely recommended dose of any recommended vaccine between ten days and two weeks after arriving in the destination country. If a traveler is unsure about whether they need a vaccination, they should ask a travel clinic or local health department to assist them in getting one.
Those traveling outside of the United States should be aware that travellers facing travel related issues should be quarantined until symptoms disappear. Symptoms of diseases carry a similar risk to those who do not have them, so anyone traveling to countries with weak or negative test results should be quarantined. People facing this type of issue should consider vaccination to help prevent exposure and develop a cure if symptoms arise. Travelers can acquire a fever blister, jaundice, or any other disease that can strike without prior warning. If you are exposed and develop a negative test result, it is important to seek medical attention before making a flight home.
A variety of precautions will help protect international travelers from disease during their stay. While no travel vaccine is 100 percent effective, the few that are available can greatly reduce the chances of an un vaccinated traveler contracting an illness. Travel is a fun time for families, but travelers should follow basic health care practices to avoid spreading illnesses while on vacation. Proper use of hand washing and proper sanitary habits can minimize the chances of contracting any disease while traveling.
