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How can I protect
my health when I travel?
Where can I find information that will
help keep me healthy while traveling?
Where can I find information that could
help me to secure proper medical care while I’m traveling?
What health information should I carry
with me?
Do I need Trip Insurance?
How can I protect my safety while traveling?
How can I avoid being the victim of a
pickpocket?
What are some of the pickpocket’s tricks?
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How can I protect my health
when I travel?
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If you have any food allergies, learn the
names of those foods in the languages used in the countries
you’ll be visiting. This way you’ll be better equipped to stay
on the look out for them.
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Find out what types of diseases are common
to the area you’ll be visiting and take actions to prevent your
exposure to those diseases.
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Find out what types of vaccinations you
will need to enter the country, there may also be medications
you’ll need to take before, during and even after your trip.
Get you vaccinations done early in case you have a reaction
and need some recovery time.
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You should consider a dental appointment
if you haven’t had a check up in a while.
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Be careful what you eat and drink.
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Carry complete health information with you
on your trip.
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Consider joining Medic Alert or IAMAT, the
International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers.
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Where can I find information
that will help keep me healthy while traveling?
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www.cdc.gov/travel
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Travel Information web page. This site contains updated information
and articles on diseases. It also includes guidelines for travel
to areas that have suffered a recent natural disaster. The most
valuable section of the site is the destination section. This
area of the site contains detailed specific information on diseases
common to particular regions of the world, along with the recommended
precautions and vaccines advised to avoid those diseases.
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www.who.int/ith/english/index.htm
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The World Health Organization’s International
Travel and Health web page. This site contains information on
recommended vaccinations and general health advice for travelers.
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www.who.int/ith/english/region.htm
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The World Health Organization’s Geographical
distribution of potential health hazards to travelers web page.
This site contains information, divided by regions of the globe,
on potential health hazards for travelers within that region.
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Where can I find information
that could help me to secure proper medical care while I’m traveling?
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www.sentex.net/~iamat/index.html
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The International Association for Medical
Assistance to Travelers homepage. This is a nonprofit organization
that helps travelers to avoid illness while traveling abroad.
It also helps guide travelers in 125 countries to competent medical
care with doctors trained in Western countries that speak either
French or English in addition to their native tongues. There is
no charge for membership in this organization, but donations are
appreciated to help continue IAMAT’s work.
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www.medicalert.org
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The Medic Alert homepage. This is a nonprofit
organization that provides bracelets that identify diseases or
allergies from which you suffer. The bracelet also contains a
phone number that can be called so medical personnel can have
access to your medical records 24-hours a day. There is a registration
and yearly membership fee to receive this service.
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What health information should
I carry with me?
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Complete and take with you a personal medical
history. Your doctor should be able to help you complete the
history. It should include:
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Your Insurance Company’s name and address.
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Trip Insurance contact information.
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Contact person in case of emergency.
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Your blood type.
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A copy of your eyeglass prescription.
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A list of current medications with their
generic names, brand names can vary in foreign countries.
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A list of allergies, including any known
food or drug allergies.
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A list of immunizations with their dates.
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A basic description of your past and present
medical condition, including past hospitalizations and any current
problems.
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Do I need Trip Insurance?
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Check with your insurance agent to see if
your current medical coverage will cover you outside the country.
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Even if you are covered, you may still be
expected to pay the bill in cash and be reimbursed from your
insurance. Make sure you receive a completely itemized bill,
in English, if possible.
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Medicare and Medicaid do not provide payments
for medical care given outside the United States.
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If you don’t have any coverage that will
apply, you should strongly consider travel insurance that will
cover you outside the country.
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Be sure to read the trip insurance policy
carefully, noting any deductibles, exceptions or exemptions
for pre-existing conditions, activities, diseases or areas of
the world.
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You also want to see if the policy covers
any medical evacuation costs, especially if you plan on traveling
to an area of the world that may not be able to provide you
the type of medical care you will need.
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You may be making your travel plans months
in advance. Many things can happen in that time that would cause
you to have to cancel your trip and possibly lose your deposits.
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You are susceptible to travel delays, often
ones beyond your control, which can cause you to miss all or
part of your trip.
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Check the policy to make sure you are covered
for expenses caused by travel delays, as well as, cancellation
coverage.
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How can I protect my safety
while traveling?
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Do the research so you’ll know the particular
risks you face.
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Know the local laws and abide by them.
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Dress conservatively and try to blend in.
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Take care when choosing your hotel and transportation
providers.
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If you haven’t left your valuables at home,
leave them in your hotel’s safe.
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Don’t draw attention to yourself, avoid
wearing flashy jewelry and don’t display large amounts of cash.
Carry only enough cash to make it through the day and leave
the rest in the hotel’s safe.
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Avoid traveling alone.
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Be careful about sharing your travel plans
with strangers.
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Stick to the main roads and avoid taking
shortcuts down narrow alleys and/or poorly lit streets.
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Always be aware of what is going on around
you.
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Only use taxis, tours and other transportation
services with official markings. Only select transportation
from official pickup points at transportation hubs.
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Never accept gifts or packages from unknown
parties.
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Approach any "special deals" with
caution, especially if you have to go off the beaten path to
get them.
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Take precautions to protect your money and
avoid pickpockets.
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How can I avoid being the victim
of a pickpocket?
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Don’t travel in narrow alleys or poorly
lit streets.
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When possible, avoid having crowds of people
surrounding you.
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Carry a dummy wallet and put your money
in your front pocket.
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Place a rubber band around your wallet,
it will make it much more difficult to remove from your pocket
without your knowledge.
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Carry your purse under your arm.
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Carry your money under your clothes.
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Know some of the pickpocket's tricks.
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What are some of the pickpocket’s
tricks?
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There are lots of situations that pickpockets
use to create opportunities to relieve you of all that heavy
cash. Be especially aware of your money when you find yourself
in the following situations.
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Getting bumped by someone else.
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Having something spilled on you or someone
pointing out a spot on your clothing.
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Someone approaching you and asking for help
or directions.
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Someone causing a disturbance that draws
everyone’s attention.
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Being surrounded by a crowd, especially
if you are surrounded by groups of children.
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Section: Leaving your property Safe
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