Travel Health: How to Stay Healthy on Holiday
When you’re planning for your holiday, don’t forget to include your travel health.
Planning your next adventure? Getting ready for your holiday is exciting. But whether you’re dreaming of African safaris, Southeast Asian temples or European city breaks, don’t forget to plan for your health as well as your suitcase and travel documents. It might not be the most exciting part of your preparations, but it’s arguably the most important.
At The Lomond Clinic, we understand that every trip is unique, and so are your health needs. Our comprehensive travel health service ensures you can focus on making memories, not worrying about preventable illnesses.
Why Travel Health Matters More Than You Think
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of booking flights and hotels, but a few minutes spent on travel health planning can save you days of illness abroad. Different destinations carry different health risks – from malaria in tropical regions to altitude sickness in mountain areas.
The good news? Most travel-related illnesses are entirely preventable with the right preparation and expert advice. And we can help.
What Makes Our Travel Health Service Different
Personalised Consultations, Not One-Size-Fits-All
Our travel health consultations aren’t rushed 10-minute appointments. Make an appointment at a time that suits you, and Anna Blackshaw (our experienced registered nurse) will take the time to understand your specific itinerary, travel style, and health history. Whether you’re planning on backpacking or enjoying a luxury cruise, we tailor our advice to your exact needs.
Comprehensive Travel Health Assessment
During your consultation, we’ll discuss:
- Your complete travel itinerary and planned activities
- Current health conditions and medications
- Previous vaccination history
- Specific risk factors for your destinations
- Practical advice for staying healthy while travelling
Complete Vaccination Service
We provide the full range of travel vaccinations, including specialist vaccines that many practices don’t offer. From routine hepatitis A and typhoid to more specialised protection like Japanese encephalitis and rabies, we’ve got you covered.
See what vaccinations we offer
Official Yellow Fever Centre
As an authorised yellow fever vaccination centre, we can provide both yellow fever vaccination and the official certificates required for entry to certain countries. No need to travel to Glasgow or Edinburgh – everything you need is right here in Helensburgh. We can also replace lost or damaged certificates to save you being re-vaccinated.
Vector-borne
A strong knowledge of bite avoidance techniques is essential to avoid illnesses and diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and other biting insects, including zika virus, chikungunya and dengue fever. During your travel consultation you will be provided with comprehensive information on bite avoidance – including common myths that aren’t effective!
If you are travelling to an area which may have malaria, The Lomond Clinic can also provide you with the best malaria prophylaxis to suit your needs.
More than Vaccinations: Complete Travel Wellness
Jet Lag Treatment
Struggling with jet lag after long-haul flights? Dr Joyce Braaksma offers specialist jet lag treatment to help your body adjust more quickly to new time zones. It’s a service that’s particularly valued by business travellers and anyone wanting to make the most of their holiday from day one (or who needs to hit the ground running as soon as they get back).
Pre-Travel Health Checks
Sometimes travel reveals underlying health issues. Our comprehensive health checks can identify potential problems before you fly, giving you peace of mind and helping you prepare for any health management needed while away.
Travel Health Advice
Vaccinations are just one part of staying healthy abroad. We provide practical advice on:
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Safe eating and drinking practices
- Insect bite prevention
- Sun protection for different climates
- Managing existing health conditions while travelling
- What to pack in your travel health kit
Planning Your Travel Health Timeline
6-8 Weeks Before Travel
Book your travel health consultation as soon as possible. Some vaccinations require multiple doses given weeks apart – and you may need more than 8 weeks for some vaccines – so early planning is essential. If in doubt, ask us!
4-6 Weeks Before Travel
Complete any multi-dose vaccination courses and make sure you have adequate supplies of regular prescription medications.
1-2 Weeks Before Travel
Final health check (if needed!) and collect any remaining vaccinations or certificates.
The 3 Most Common Travel Health Problems
1. Upset stomach
This is by far the most common risk, typically caused by contaminated food and water, particularly E. coli bacteria.
2. Respiratory Illnesses
Colds, flu and Covid are frequent issues, especially when travellers are in close proximity to others or in different climatic conditions.
3. Accidents and Injuries
Trying new activities, unknown environments and lack of concentration make accidents a common travel health problem. This includes everything from slips and falls to sports-related injuries during activities like hiking or skiing.
Common Travel Health Questions
Do I need vaccinations for Europe?
Assuming all of your routine vaccinations are up to date, additional travel vaccinations are rarely needed for Western Europe. However, it is recommended that MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and Tetanus vaccinations are all up to date before any travel. In addition, tick-borne encephalitis vaccination might be recommended for hiking in certain areas.
What about travel insurance and vaccinations?
Many travel insurance policies require you to follow medical advice, including recommended vaccinations. We can provide documentation of our recommendations and treatments if you need it.
I’m travelling last minute – is it too late?
While earlier planning is ideal, we can still help. Some vaccinations provide protection within days, and we can provide advice for immediate travel health needs. Better late than not at all!
What vaccinations do you do?
- Diptheria/Tetanus/Polio (1 dose, protection lasts 10 years) £45*
- Typhoid (1 dose, protection lasts 3 years) £48
- Hepatitis A (2 doses, 6-12 months apart. 25 years protection after 2nd dose) £60 per dose
- Hepatitis B (3 doses required – vaccination schedule varies) £50 per dose
- Rabies (3 doses required) £85 per dose
- Japanese Encephalitis (2 doses, 28 days apart) £130 per dose
- Cholera (2 doses needed 1-6 weeks apart) £40 per dose
- Yellow Fever £90 (or £20 for replacement certificate)
- Tick Borne Encephalitis (3 doses vaccination schedule varies) £70 per dose
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (1-2 doses depending on vaccination history) £50 per dose
- Whooping Cough £90
- Meningococcal £70
- Shingles (2 doses 2 months apart) £220 per dose
- Chicken Pox (2 doses 4-8 weeks apart) £70 per dose
Please note that prices were correct at time of writing, but may have changed depending on when you’re reading this! See our current price list, or ask us for details.
Part of Something Bigger
Travel health is just one of the medical and nursing services we offer at The Lomond Clinic, and part of our much broader approach to health and wellbeing. The Lomond Clinic also provides physiotherapy, mental health support, nutritional guidance, complementary therapies, and skincare services – all working together to support your overall health.
This integrated approach means that whether you’re coming for travel vaccinations, a routine health check, or managing a complex health condition, you have access to a complete support network under one roof.
Make a Travel Health appointment
Whether you know exactly what you need for your travels, or need advice, make a Travel Health Consultation appointment with us.
The initial consultation fee is £30, but this cost is then deducted from any vaccination costs.
To book your appointment, call us on 01436 672677, pop to see us at the clinic, or book online. See our general appointment booking, or use the button link to book a travel health consultation directly:
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