Travel Safety Manual: Stay Safe While on the Go

Traveling is perhaps the best-loved and most-popular hobby in the world. It is adventurous, educational, and a breath of fresh air. However, accidents are not confined to a single place as they can follow you no matter where you go.

Since you are traveling to an unknown place and into a new environment, there may be health consequences if you get too carried away with your trip.

Therefore, a smart passenger knows how to circumvent potential hazards.

So, read on and learn how to maintain perfect health and travel safely anywhere in the world.

Watch What you Eat

Food is one of the highlights of any travel plan. Although you cannot give up eating, you can avoid eating all the wrong stuff.

But that doesn’t mean you skip trying out new dishes and cuisine. It just means that you should know what to eat.

It becomes even more essential since tourist spots and points of interest are usually brimming with food outlets and vendors. Although most of them adopt hygienic practices, it is not worth the risk.

Watch out what you eat, since unclean food items can lead to traveler’s diarrhea and other diseases.

1. What is Safe to Consume?

• Hard-cooked eggs
• Pasteurized dairy items
• Washed fruits and vegetable
• Properly cooked food that is served hot

2. What isn’t?

• Food served cold or at room temperature
• Raw or undercooked meat
• Raw or half-cooked eggs
• Monkey, bat, or other bushmeat
• Foods from street vendors
• Unwashed raw vegetables, and fruits
• Unpasteurized dairy items

3. What about Drinking?

1. Bottled water. Always check the seal
2. Disinfected and purified water
3. Pasteurized Milk
4. Hot coffee or tea
5. Homemade fresh juices

4. What drinks to avoid?

1. Tap water, well water and drinks made using them
2. Unpasteurized milk

Repel Bugs

Everyone loves a summer holiday to a tropical destination. With sunny beaches, crisp and sandy coastlines and seafood, come insects.

Nothing ruins a good holiday like a bug bite, right? But don’t worry, there is a lot you can do to avoid such situations.

Before you even book airline tickets, research about the health risks at your destination.

(a) Let’s start with some Quick tips:

1. Select full sleeves, and long pants to avoid skin exposure especially during evenings
2. Cover your head with a hat or a scarf
3. Sleep in air-conditioned, or screened places
4. If your sleeping place is outdoors or has open spaces, use a bed net
5. Ask your medical practitioner for anti-malaria medication
6. Apply sunscreen first and then apply the insect repellent
7. Use coils and plug-in mosquito devices
8. Avoid camping in tropical countries
9. Use EPA-registered insect repellents
10. Do not spray insect repellents on the skin under clothing

(b) Tips for Children

1. Dress kids in clothing that covers their arms and legs. Minimum skin exposure
2. Use mosquito nets to cover baby strollers and carriers
3. Follow label instructions before using insect repellent on children
4. Keep insect repellents out of the reach of kids
5. Do not use insect repellents containing para-menthane-diol (PMD) or oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) on children below three years of age
6. Spray insect repellent on your hands and then apply it on a child’s face

Staying Safe Outdoors

When you book travel or flight tickets to your favorite destinations, the itinerary calls for a lot of time outdoors. Especially if you are an adventure sports enthusiast you can’t help but go scuba diving or jet skiing when you book flights to Goa or Miami.

Speaking of water sports, let’s start with some tips that will help you stay safe around water:

1. Always respect the boundaries and rules. Do not swim outside of the designated area
2. Follow boating rules such as safety advise, wearing a life jacket, and so on
3. Avoid swimming altogether in underdeveloped areas with poor sanitation
4. Untreated water carries germs. Therefore, do not swallow water while swimming
5. Wear shoes on beaches and shores to avoid contamination

(a)Outdoor Safety Tips

1. Stay up to date with the weather forecast. Make travel plans according to the climatic conditions
2. Choose your clothes according to the activity. And, always pack protective items
3. Carry a travel health kit
4. First-aid knowledge and CPR helps
5. Limit or avoid physical and outdoor activities during high temperatures
6. If you expect to be outdoors on a sunny day for extended durations of time, always carry sufficient water. Also consume salty snacks
7. Protect yourself against the ultraviolet radiations

Avoid Germs

Germs and viruses can spread rapidly. Therefore, it is important to safeguard against potential hazards.

Before you start comparing for cheap flight tickets online, check about travel health notice by health organizations. Also, gather any information related to viral diseases and avoid all high-risk areas.

So, observe the following preventive measure to stay safe and healthy while traveling:

1. Maintain proper hand hygiene. Wash hands before eating food, and after using the bathroom
2. Use soap to wash hands for at least 20 seconds multiple times
3. In case water and soap are not readily available, use hand sanitizers
4. Hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol content
5. Do not touch your face with unclean hands. Especially avoid touching mouth, nose, and eyes.
6. Cover your mouth while sneezing and coughing. Use a disposable tissue and don’t reuse it
7. Maintain distance with the sick. Stay at least a meter away

Medical Care While Traveling

While traveling you must take additional medical precautions, especially when your family and children are accompanying you.

It is necessary to visit a medical physician especially if you are going to travel on international flight tickets. Even before going on a domestic trip, it is recommended that you consult a doctor.

Also, follow these tips:

1. Collect contact info and addresses of doctors and hospitals at your destination
2. Consider travel insurance after carefully reviewing the coverage plan and policies
3. It is helpful if you carry a card that informs blood group, chronic conditions, allergies, and names of medicines in the local language
4. Be cautious about what medicines are illegal at your travel destination
5. Carry a few extra medical supplies than you think are necessary

These are some of the most common precautions that will make your travel safe and healthy. However, there are a lot of other things to keep in mind.

For instance, it is important to be alert while on the road. Follow pedestrian rules, and always opt for safe means of transportation. Also, some tourist places may pose other dangers such as pickpockets, pilferage, etc.

Further, take every decision carefully, as you may face travel scams and frauds. However, for the most part, traveling is a safe and fun activity. Book airline tickets to your dream destination now!