Other health considerations if travelling during the COVID-19 pandemic

During the current pandemic, it is important to remind travellers that they may become exposed to many different illnesses and health risks, not just COVID-19.

Since many travel-related diseases begin with vague or generalised 'flu-like' symptoms, often accompanied with a high fever, it can be difficult for health professionals to decide if the illness is COVID-19 or something else.

Unfortunately, not all UK health professionals ask for a travel history during a consultation and therefore may not consider travel-related or tropical diseases, such as malaria as a diagnosis unless they are aware that the traveller has recently been to a country where such diseases exist.

• Always remind travellers to seek medical advice as soon as possible and mention their travel history if they become unwell and/or develop a fever either during their trip, or once they return home, even if it's up to one month after travel.
• This is particularly important if they have travelled to a malaria-endemic country.

A reminder of some of the different health risks that should be discussed with travellers during a consultation:

Malaria

Malaria is a serious infection transmitted to humans from mosquito bites.

• Malaria can quickly become life threatening without prompt diagnosis and treatment.
• Mosquito bite avoidance and chemoprophylaxis (if indicated) can significantly reduce the risk for travellers.
• Travellers should be educated on the symptoms of malaria, and know to quickly seek medical advice if symptoms occur.
• Remind travellers to seek medical advice quickly even after they have returned to the UK if they become symptomatic, and to mention their travel history and if they have been in a malaria-endemic country within the previous one month.

Mosquito and other insect bites

• Mosquitoes can transmit many other diseases including yellow fever, dengue fever and zika virus infection.
• Fleas, bugs, ticks and flies carry a wide variety of diseases which they can transmit to humans if they bite.
• Travellers should be advised to practice effective insect bite avoidance measures at all times when travelling to a country where these diseases exist, and to always seek medical advice if they should develop symptoms during / after travel.

Food and water precautions

Some illnesses are transmitted to humans from eating or drinking food and water which has been contaminated by viruses, bacteria or harmful chemicals.

• Travellers' diarrhoea, hepatitis A, typhoid and cyclosporiasis are transmitted in this way.
• Travellers should be advised to practise safe food and water precautions, and hand hygiene measures when travelling to minimise risk.

Airborne diseases

Common colds, chest infections, flu (influenza) and COVID-19 are some of the many airborne diseases which are transmitted by breathing in infected droplets in the air released by people with the infection, or by touching surfaces which have been contaminated with these infected droplets and then touching the eyes, nose or mouth.

• The risk of transmission is increased in crowded environments, for example in airports, aircraft cabins, mass gatherings, public transport, hotels, cruise ships, bars and clubs.
• Travellers can reduce their risk of catching airborne infections by regularly washing their hands and practicing respiratory hygiene measures whilst travelling.

Diseases from blood and body fluids

Travellers may become infected with blood borne virus infections (including HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) if they come into close contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected person without taking safe precautions.

• Being up to date with vaccinations such as hepatitis B, being aware of how to avoid blood borne viruses and practicing safe sex during travel will help to reduce the risk.

Risks from the environment

Accidents (e.g. drowning or road traffic accidents) sunburn, heat stroke, altitude sickness or animal bites are examples of how travellers might become injured or unwell from the environment factors during travel. Travellers should be advised to:

• carefully research and be aware of environmental risks at their destination
• be up to date with routine childhood vaccines (including tetanus)
• obtain relevant pre-travel vaccinations and boosters (e.g. rabies) as indicated following a pre-travel risk assessment
• take out comprehensive travel insurance

Advice for travellers

Before booking any travel, all travellers should be advised to review the fitfortravel country pages relevant to their destination(s) to find:

• up to date travel health recommendations for that country
• advice on health risks they need to be aware of at their destination
• if they need to consider receiving any vaccinations, boosters or purchasing antimalarial tablets before they travel

Travellers should be reminded to always seek medical advice if they develop a fever either during travel, and after they return home, and to always tell a health professional about their recent travel history, particularly if they have been in a malaria-endemic country.