With the start of summer time of the year and hot weather, it’s time to plan your summer vacation. Those who decide to spend their summer vacation outside Macedonia should know the health risks as well as the ways of prevention. No matter where you go – mountains, beaches or bustling cities – start your adventure ready.
Before you leave:
Take a short time to get to know the destination where you are going. Even if you are familiar with the site, there may be new and important health risks that could disrupt your travel.
Contact the Public Health Center in charge of the place where you live to get information on whether you need some medications or additional vaccines for the destination you are traveling.
Also, if you belong to a group of people with chronic illnesses (respiratory diseases, heart, liver, kidney disease, diabetes, reduced immunity from any disease), seek advice from your family doctor or specialist who will evaluate travel risk.
In the nearest neighborhood and in many popular destinations (Greece, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and many other European countries) there are currently measles – do not travel unprotected!
The Public Health Institute recommends that all passengers should check their vaccination card and vaccination cards for their children to ensure they are fully vaccinated according to the Immunization Calendar of the Republic of North Macedonia, including two doses with measles vaccine, or respectively of age.
During the trip:
- Consume safe food and drinking water.
- Consume only foods that are well cooked and served immediately (warm).
- Consume fruits and vegetables that you have washed with safe water or you have peeled it yourself.
- Drink water or carbonated drinks that are bottled and sealed or very warm coffee or tea.
- Use ice made from bottled or disinfected water.
- Wash your hands frequently and with soap and water.
- Contaminated foods or beverages may cause diarrhea and other intestinal disorders. Traveling diarrhea is the most common disease associated with travel.
Prevent from insect bytes. Using repellents can protect you from serious diseases that spread through mosquito bites, such as West-Nile fever, Zika, Dengue, Chickengue, Yellow fever and Malaria.
If you travel to mountainous areas, staying in forests or grasslands, protect yourself from ticks that can transmit serious illnesses: Haemorrhagic fevers, Lyme fever, etc.
Use repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, lemon eucalyptus oil, para-mentant-diol or 2-undecanone.
Apply a sunscreen first and then a repellent.
If you travel to an exotic country in the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia, where MERS CoV infection is continuously registered, then:
Avoid close contact with people who show symptoms of respiratory illness (especially in hospitals!).
Maintain regular hygiene on hands.
It is recommended to use only heat-treated milk and meat, and well-washed or peeled fruits and vegetables.
After returning from a trip:
If you do not feel well and have any symptoms that you can associate with one of the above-mentioned diseases, seek immediate medical attention and advice!
This will allow you to timely diagnose and treat your disease and will reduce the possibility of further transmission of the disease to other people.
