Do You Have Summer Travel Plans?

Posted by Darlene Kaskie on May 24th, 2023 Posted in: Blog

Memorial Day weekend is considered the start of many summer vacations. If you plan to travel now or in the future, consider your health. For example, a long flight might increase your risk for deep vein thrombosis. Also, water in developing countries can contain viruses, bacteria, and parasites that cause stomach upset and diarrhea.

So if you are traveling for pleasure, family, or work, how can you stay healthy?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the government’s official resource for travel both domestic and international. On its website, Traveler’s Health, you will find current, need-to-know information from a checklist of what medications to take and the vaccinations required for every country to notification of travel restrictions and health alerts.

The CDC Yellow Book 2024: Health Information for International Travel is a trusted resource, providing clinicians with expert guidance for safe and healthy travel abroad. It compiles the U.S. government’s most current travel health guidelines, including pre-travel vaccine recommendations, destination-specific health advice, and easy-to-reference maps, tables, and charts.

Other reliable and up-to-date information for international travel can be found at Your Health Abroad from the U.S. Department of State.

Some ongoing health conditions may require extra consideration before traveling.

21 Tips for Traveling with Diabetes (CDC)

Travelers with Chronic Illnesses (CDC)

Travel and Heart Disease (American Heart Association)

Travel Tips: A Guide for Kidney Patients (National Kidney Foundation)

Travelers with Disabilities (U.S. Department of State)

Pregnancy and Travel (MedlinePlus)

With all this information, be well and stay safe!

ABOUT Darlene Kaskie
Darlene Kaskie, M.L.S. is Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist for Region 6 of the Network of the National Library of Medicine. She connects communities to training, engagement, and funding to improve access to health information and NLM Resources such as MedlinePlus. Advancing health literacy and digital skills training helps people make informed decisions about their health. She earned her Consumer Health Information Specialization (CHIS) from the Medical Library Association.

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