Wherever your travels may take you, be prepared when it comes to your health before and during travel with these tips from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Before you go

Check your destination for country-specific health risks and safety concerns. You should also know your health status before you make travel plans. When you are sick, you can spread diseases to others. Postpone your travel and stay home if you are sick.

Make an appointment with your health care provider to get destination-specific vaccines, medicines, and advice at least a month before you leave. Discuss your itinerary and planned activities with your provider so they can make customized recommendations to ensure a healthy, safe journey.

Plan for unexpected health and travel issues. Find out if your health insurance covers medical care abroad — many plans don’t! Make sure you have a plan to get care overseas, in case you need it. Consider buying travel insurance that covers health care and emergency evacuation, especially if you will be traveling to remote areas.

Prepare for emergencies. Leave copies of important travel documents, such as itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport, with someone at home, in case you lose them during travel. Make sure someone at home knows how to reach you in an emergency, and always carry your emergency contacts with you.

Register with the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
Monitor travel warnings for your destination. Enrolling also ensures that the U.S. Department of State knows where you are if you have serious legal, medical, or financial difficulties while traveling. In the event of an emergency at home, STEP can also help friends and family contact you.

Pack smart. Prepare a travel health kit with items you may need, especially those that are difficult to find on your trip. Fill your travel health kit with your prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines (enough to last your whole trip, plus a little extra), a first aid kit, insect repellent, sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher), aloe, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, water disinfection tablets, and your health insurance card.

During your trip

Choose safe transportation. Always wear a seat belt, and children should ride in car seats. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among healthy travelers. Be alert when crossing the street, especially in countries where people drive on the left. 

Avoid bug bites. Use insect repellent and take other steps to avoid bug bites. Bugs, including mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas, can spread diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and Lyme. These bugs are typically more active during warm weather.

Choose safe food and drinks. Contaminated food or drinks can cause travelers’ diarrhea and other illnesses. Travelers to low or middle-income destinations are especially at risk. Generally, foods served hot are usually safe to eat, as well as dry and packaged foods. Bottled, canned, and hot drinks are usually safe to drink. 

Protect yourself from the sun. Apply sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher when traveling. Protecting yourself from the sun isn’t just for tropical beaches. You can get a sunburn even if it’s cloudy or cold. You are at the highest risk for UV exposure when you are traveling during summer months, near the equator, at high altitudes, or between 10 a.m. and
4 p.m.

Wash your hands. Regular handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent the spread of germs to others. Wash your hands with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol. 

Be safe around animals. Avoid animals, including pets, farm animals, and wildlife. In addition to the risk of rabies, all animal bites carry a risk of bacterial infection.

Be careful during water activities. Drowning is a major cause of death when traveling. Follow water safety recommendations, including while swimming, boating, and diving, especially in countries where emergency services may not be readily available.