FCO Locate- Staying Save on your Travels

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Jane Bell RGN

If you are planning a trip abroad it is a good idea to register with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) LOCATE service. Registraion is simple and free. Your details will be saved so that you can simply log in and change your details for future trips.

The FCO Locate service is for British nationals only. If you are planning on travelling abroad, even for a short trip, register your details so that in the event of an emergency such as a terrorist attack or tsunami, British embassy staff will be better equipped to offer you assistance.

Benefits of registering with LOCATE?

  • in the event of  a major catastrophe the FCO will have an instant record of your details. They will be able to make contact and offer assistance.
  • if  your family and friends need to get in touch with you , FCO can help them to find you.
  • the simple registration process means it only takes a few minutes to register your travel or residence information  and the local British Embassy will know you are coming. You do not need to contact embassies directly.
  • you only need to register once. Any future trips can then be updated by logging in to your account. You can register planned trips up to a year ahead of travel.
  • LOCATE improves the FCO’s ability to provide help in an emergency and reduce delay and worry in times of stress for family and friends at home.

Before you travel.

When planning a trip abroad it is important to plan so that you have a safe and healthy trip. Things to consider include:

  • Make sure you have had any necessary vaccinations.
  • Make sure you have malaria tablets if they are required for your trip.
  • Don’t travel without insurance and make sure it covers you for all activites you wish to do on your trip.
  • Get any VISA’s that may be requied for the countries you plan to visit.
  • Check that you passport is in date. Some countires require that your passport is valid for six months after the date of travel.
  • Make a note or a secure online copy of your passport number and any other important documents.
  • Driving abroad- make sure you take your driving license and make yourself aware of any driving laws in the country you are visiting.

To book travel vaccinations or discuss malaria requirements call 01273 749100 or book online.

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Food and Water Hygiene – Avoiding Traveller’s Diarrhoea

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Jane Bell RGN

Traveller’s diarrhoea (TD) can be very unpleasant and ruin a holiday or business trip. It is estimated that as many as 60% of all travellers will experience a bout of TD when they travel overseas. Many illnesses such as Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Cholera are spread through eating and drinking contaminated food and water. Thankfully, there are vaccinations that can offer some protection against these illnesses. However, many other bacterial infections such as E.Coli and parasites such as Giardia cannot be vaccinated against. It is extremely important to follow strict food and water hygiene to avoid infection.

 

Advice for Travellers

  • Drink bottled water. Beware of fake bottled water- in many countries seals have been tampered with and the bottle actually contains unsafe tap water.
  • Avoid ice in your drinks, unless you are sure it has come from a safe supply of water.
  • Don’t clean your teeth with tap water- use bottled or boiled water.
  • Boiled water is safe to drink- bringing water to the boil and boiling for 1 minute is enough to purify it.
  • Use chlorine tablets or a water filter if you haven’t got access to clean drinking water.
  • Avoid salads that may have been washed in unsafe water.
  • Avoid raw fruit and vegetables- these are ok if you can peel them.
  • Avoid buffet food that may have been left out for a number of hours or been exposed to flies.
  • Avoid unpasteurised dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese.
  • Always wash your hands well before you eat and if you don’t have access to washing facilities carry an alcohol hand gel.
  • Avoid street food, unless it is cooked freshly in front of you.
  • Don’t assume food served in a 5* hotel will be safe- staff may not have practiced strict food. Water and personal hygiene.

Prevention

Bimuno is a pre- biotic powder or pastille that can keep your tummy healthy on a trip abroad. Clinical studies have shown it to be effective in reducing your risk of TD. It worked by sustain a healthy level of good bacteria in the gut, helping to prevent bad bacteria from becoming established.

Ask your nurse about water purification products – Bimuno, Chlorine Tablets and Water Filters or purchase online in our shop.

 

 

 

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Avoiding Mosquito Bites

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Jane Bell RGN

Mosquitoes are the vector of malaria which is spread at night. They also spread other diseases such as; Dengue fever, Yellow fever, Japanese B encephalitis, St Louis encephalitis and Bancrofti and Filariasis. Some of these diseases are spread by daytime biting mosquitos. The best advice is to avoid mosquito bites.

Insect Bite Avoidance

  •  To avoid bites wear clothing that covers as much of the body as possible.
  •  Wear long-sleeved clothing and long trousers when going out at night.
  •  Protect feet with appropriate footwear.
  •  Use insect repellents on exposed skin.
  •  Insect repellents are available in various forms and concentrations.
  •  Many skin preparations are available, mostly containing di- ethyltoluamide  (DEET)
  • For those allergic to DEET, alternatives include Lifesystems Natural repellent.
  • Use a mosquito net when sleeping in unscreened accommodation. Mosquito nets should be impregnated with a long lasting insecticide. It can be helpful to practice erecting nets before departure.
  • Use air conditioning in your hotel room, if available.
  • If possible, avoid going out between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes spreading malaria commonly bite.
  • Use anti-mosquito insecticide dispensers (mains or battery operated that contain tablets impregnated with pyrethroids or burn pyrethroid mosquito coils in bedrooms at night) Electronic buzzer’s do not work.

MALARIA – REMEMBER MALARIA CAN BE A FATAL ILLNESS

It is essential to complete your course of malaria tablets to get full protection. Keep taking them when you get home as prescribed.

Initial symptoms of malaria can often be mild, difficult to recognise and can be confused with flu. If you develop flu-like symptoms once you return home, seek medical advice immediately and tell them you have recently returned from a malaria- risk zone. This will enable a speedy diagnosis and could potentially save your life.

We stock a full range of mosquito nets, insect repellents and other travel related equipment – ask your nurse for more details.

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Supply of Typhoid and Hepatitis A/Typhoid (Combined) Vaccines

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Jane Bell RGN

We have been informed by the manufacturers of the following vaccines that there will be a supply problem for the foreseeable future.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has announced that supplies of Typhoid Vaccine and Combined Hepatitis A/ Typhoid vaccine will not be available until the second quarter of 2014. The delay in supply has been constrained due to a delay in a new manufacturing facility.GSK has had to concentrate production on critical childhood vaccines as prioritised by the World Health Organization.

Sanofi Pasteur MSD has reported a temporary interruption to supplies of Typhim Vi, Typhoid Vaccine. Supplies will become available from the end of February 2012.

How will this affect me?

Sussex Travel Clinic has adequate supplies of Oral Typhoid vaccine available and plenty of Hepatitis A vaccine in stock.

Hepatitis A and Typhoid are caught through consuming contaminated food and water. If you are travelling to a country where these diseases are common it is important you get vaccinated before you travel.

Please call 01273 749100 to book an appointment.

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Costa Concordia Sinks off Coast of Italy

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Jane Bell RGN

I was very saddened to hear of the awful tragedy over the weekend of Costa Concordia cruise ship that hit a reef and ran aground off the coast of Tuscany, Italy. The awful tragedy saw 6 people lose their lives with another 15 passengers and crew still unaccounted for .It was even more poignant for me as two months to the day my husband and I had been on that very ship taking a seven night cruise around the Mediterranean.

I can only imagine how frightening the whole episode must have been for those involved. I expect the mood would have upbeat on the ship on Friday evening before the tragedy. The ship would have departed earlier from the port of Civitavecchiaand been on its way to Savona. The passengers would have been enjoying a seven course Gala dinner by candlelight when the ship hit the reef. Luckily, most people where able to get off the stricken ship, however reports in the media are that the evacuation was chaotic with many passengers not having attended a muster safety drill. When we were on the ship our muster drill was on the day we arrived, however with so many nationalities on the ship, the drill was presented in several different languages and it was quite hard to hear what was being announced. The Costa Concordia is a very large cruise ship that carries up to 4000 passengers so I would imagine evacuation on a ship that size would always be difficult.

This tragedy highlights the importance of safety drills on both ships and planes. On cruise ships all passengers must attend a muster safety drill within 24 hours of departure. The purpose of a muster drill is to prepare passengers for safe evacuation in the event of an emergency while on board the ship and to familiarize passengers and crew with escape routes. In the case of the Costa Concordia many passengers are saying that they had not attended a safety drill when the ship got into trouble. Maybe lessons will be learnt from this and it will become law that safety drills are carried out before departure.

Our thoughts are with all of those involved and the families of those that died and are still missing.

 

Have you ever been evacuated from a ship or plane? Share your stories with us.

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