Take some time to consider any potential risks in the area you are visiting and if you are pregnant or have existing illness, seek specific advice from your doctor.

Prevention

Make sure you have appropriate vaccinations in good time before your departure. Your doctor or nurse will be able to tell you which of these are advisable for your destination. Take advice about malaria prophylaxis if you are travelling to a risk area.

You can be vaccinated against:

Symptoms

Always take out adequate travel insurance.

The E111 form is no longer valid. You will need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to received necessary healthcare during a visit to an European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland.

If you are travelling further afield, make sure your insurance is sufficient to cover the cost of being flown home in an air ambulance.

Medicines

Carry adequate supplies of any medicines you take regularly as it may not be possible to get more whilst you are abroad. A simple first aid kit will help you cope with many eventualities. And if you are really roughing it in a high risk area, think about carrying a sterile giving set for a blood transfusion.