Holiday Health Essentials

It's summer holiday time and many of us are gearing up to get away

But what precautions do you need to take to reduce the risk of illness ruining your holiday? 

Firstly, if you're going on a long-haul holiday (outside Western Europe, the USA or Australasia) you need to think about travel vaccinations well in advance.

Your practice nurse or pharmacist can advise if you need vaccinations and what these might be. Some are available on the NHS, some will cost - but all are a small price to pay to prevent really serious infectious diseases.

The same goes for antimalarial tablets. You need to start these before you leave and take them regularly until up to four weeks after you get back (how long depends on the type of medicine). They're not available on the NHS, but you can get all of them from your pharmacist.

You'll still need to take precautions to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. Use repellent, and wear long sleeved shirts and trousers in the evenings when they're most active. But malaria is a serious illness and the best protection is medication. For non-mosquito bites, you can pack antihistamine tablets or cream.

Do make sure you order supplies of any medicines you take regularly well in advance. Take enough with you to cover the whole time you're away, and a couple of extra weeks of medicine in case of loss or medical emergencies. Carry them in their original packaging, along with a copy of your repeat prescription. Always take them in your hand luggage to avoid them going astray.