Make a Doctors Appointment Before Traveling

In your excitement to take a vacation, people often overlook the precautionary measures needed to ensure a safe trip.

It's recommend visiting your medical professional four to six weeks before traveling abroad. Inform the doctor about your destination and any preexisting medical conditions. Prepare a list of questions about necessary vaccines and medications to pack for travel.

The vaccinations you need depend on a number of factors, such as your destination, the season and access to medical care.

Medical facilities in foreign countries may be limited or unavailable. To prepare for this, pack an emergency kit with medical necessities to help keep you safe.

A recommendation of nine vital elements for a sufficient emergency kit:

• Reconstituting powders, dried powders made from fruits or vegetables, that can be mixed with bottled water to add essential vitamins and nutrients
• Sealed bottled beverages
• A small electric heating coil or a lightweight beverage warmer, used to heat water to at least 175 degrees in order to kill bacteria
• Iodine tablets and portable water filters to purify water if bottled water is not available
• Sunscreen (at least 15 SPF) and sunglasses
• Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60 percent alcohol
• Insect repellent
• Basic first aid kit; view a list of recommended medications
• Travelers with specific needs should refer to chapters 7 and 8 of the CDC Travel Guide for details about emergency medications

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