Concerns raised over people not seeking travel health advice

A new survey claims that almost half of all people in the West Midlands who are travelling abroad don't seek travel health advice before setting off.

With winter breaks tending to be further afield, a report by Pharmadoctor says 45% don't consult a medical professional and a third aren't aware of the risks of common diseases, such as rabiesand measles, while travelling abroad.

In 2018, there were 71.7 million visits overseas by UK residents, however, research shows that only 28% of those who travelled outside the EU had a personalised travel health risk-assessment before their trip.

Timing is also crucial when it comes to vaccinations. Only 18% were able to correctly identify that you should seek advice 4-6 weeks before travelling and for those aged 18 – 24, nearly one in ten (8%) believed that simply seeking advice a week before travelling would suffice.