TRAVEL HEALTH
As soon as you decide to travel internationally, check the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website for comprehensive information on travel vaccines, medicines, and local travel advice. Whether you decide to get vaccinated or not is your decision, but many vaccinations require administration two months before travel begins. So get informed! And if an emergency does happen, here’s everything you should know about travel clinics and handling medical emergencies abroad.
Although you can buy pre-made travel health kits online, it’s just as easy to use small, water-resistant packing sacs as the container for your kit, then construct one from your medicine cabinet at home, only securing those items you may not already have on hand.
● First aid kit (bandages, gauze, adhesives, etc.)
● Personal prescriptions (copies of scripts)
● Pain and fever relievers (also children’s strength if you are traveling with kids)
● Thermometer
● Cold medicines and throat lozenges
● Diarrhea/laxative medicines
● Oral rehydration salts
● Allergy medicines
● Hydrocortisone cream/antibacterial ointment
● Multivitamins
● Sunburn relief
● Insect repellent/mosquito net/sting reliever
● Motion sickness pills or bands
● Altitude sickness pills (if you are planning to hike in higher altitudes)
● Eye drops
● Moleskin
● Medicines and vaccinations specific to the region/activity
ADDITIONAL HEALTH ITEMS
● Hand sanitizer or wet wipes
● Prescriptions in original packaging (you’ll want to make sure you have these in your carry-on bag just in case something were to happen to your checked luggage)
● Sleeping medicines
● Glasses and glasses case (email yourself a copy of your prescription, just in case)
Travel Tip : Your under-the-seat bag can hold a lot! Some travelers can even pack an entire trip in a small bag—at the very least learn how to put your under-the-seat bag to good use when packing for international travel.