Spring travel advice

Planning a spring break? Check out our travel tips for a healthy trip

Spring remains a popular time to travel abroad, with many travellers taking a chance to explore different countries as the weather improves. Whether you're heading off on a city break, having a beach holiday or taking the kids to visit friends and family overseas, planning ahead helps you have a safe and enjoyable trip.

Given the evolving situation in the Middle East please check with your airline and see Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) foreign travel advice for information on safety and security at your destination.

Mosquito-spread infections, including chikungunya and dengue, are found in many countries. Be aware of the risk and follow good insect and tick bite avoidance advice.

Malaria may also be a risk in some areas. Make sure you know the risks at your destination and take appropriate precautions, which may include malaria prevention tablets.

Travellers' diarrhoea and other gastro-intestinal (gut) infections can be commonly reported by visitors overseas. Be prepared and take care with food and water hygiene.

Measles is a risk worldwide, with increases in cases and outbreaks reported in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, including Canada and the United States [1-6]. Protect yourself and your family against measles by checking everyone has received two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) or measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine [7, 8] or had measles infection in the past.

See here for information about measles worldwide:

• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control – Monthly measles reports
• World Health Organization: Provisional monthly measles and rubella data

A rise in difficult to treat, drug resistant sexually transmitted infections (STIs) linked to travel abroad has been reported in the United Kingdom (UK) [9, 10]. An increase in antibiotic-resistant cases of an STI called gonorrhoea in UK travellers has been linked to visiting popular tourist destinations in the Asia-Pacific region [9-11], including Cambodia, China, Thailand and Vietnam [10, 11]. Drug resistant gonorrhoea infections have also been confirmed in UK travellers who visited mainland Europe [10].

You can find more information here: Sex and travel: sexually transmitted infections.

Advice for travellers

Before you travel

Check travel vaccine recommendations and health advice for your destination using our Country Information pages.

Make an appointment with your GP, practice nurse, a travel clinic or a pharmacy offering travel services to see if you need malaria prevention tablets and to check you are in-date for all recommended travel and routine UK vaccines, including (MMR) and polio, diphtheria and tetanus vaccines.

If you have any long-standing medical conditions, you should also carefully discuss your travel plans with your doctor. If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, see our advice about Zika virus disease and other infections such as Oropouche virus disease. Check the risks at your planned destination and get advice from your midwife or other health professional before you travel.

Even if time is short, last-minute advice is still helpful – some vaccines and malaria tablets can be offered just before travel.

If you take any regular medicines, especially prescription drugs, make sure you are prepared for travelling with medicines as you may need to contact the authorities of your destination country before you go.

See Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) foreign travel advice for information on safety and security at your destination.

Remember to get foreign travel insurance – check your policy covers all your travel plans, all medical conditions and any medicines.

While you are away

Reduce your risk of injury and illness by:

• avoiding insect and tick bites
• following good food, water hygiene and hand hygiene
• taking sensible personal safety precautions around water and when driving, using public transport or taxis
• using appropriate sun protection

Carry a simple first aid kit and make sure you know the location of the nearest hospital or clinic.

If you develop a fever, have bloody diarrhoea or any other worrying symptoms abroad, get urgent medical help locally. Remember to contact your insurance company when you get a chance and keep any receipts.

Always be aware of your surroundings and take care of your personal safety especially in crowds.

Be mindful if you enjoy drinking alcohol and be aware of the risk of methanol poisoning and local herbal brews overseas.

Practising safer sex is just as important as applying insect repellent or sunscreen on holiday. Carry condoms and use them consistently and correctly with all new or casual partners [11].

When you return

If malaria tablets were advised for your trip, remember to complete the full course when you get home.

If you develop symptoms like a fever, a flu like illness and severe headache, get urgent medical help. This is especially important if you visited countries with a malaria risk. Remember to tell your doctor/health professional you have been abroad, detailing all the countries you visited. If you visited a malaria risk area, you must have an urgent assessment to rule out malaria, including a same-day result malaria blood test.

If you had unprotected sex abroad or think you might have an STI, even if you don't have any symptoms, go to a free, confidential sexual health clinic for advice.

Advice for health professionals

Health professionals advising travellers can check our Country Information pages for vaccine recommendations, malaria guidance and specific risk advice.

Health professionals should contact their local microbiology, virology or infectious diseases consultant for advice about returning travellers with fever/acute illness. Further advice is available from the Imported Fever Service.