BEFORE YOU TRAVEL TIPS
Here are some recommendations
from the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) to consider before you head out
on your next adventure.
First, know your health status
Work with your doctor to evaluate
your health, or the health of those
traveling with you, by using the guide
below. In general, you should not
travel by plane if you:
• Have recently had any type of
surgery, especially stomach, brain,
eye, or orthopedic (bone or joint) sur-
gery. Check with your doctor to see
when it is safe for you to travel.
• Have had a recent heart attack or
stroke
• Are suffering from:
◦ Chest pain, pneumothorax, or a
severe chronic respiratory disease
◦ Severe sinus, ear, or nose infection
◦ Any disease that you can easily
spread to other people
◦ A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or great-
er
◦ Swelling of the brain caused by
bleeding, injury, or infection
◦ Sickle cell disease
◦ Uncontrolled psychotic illness
Special considerations
• If you’re traveling with a disabil-
ity, a weakened immune system, or
a chronic illness, make sure you talk
to your doctor and take extra steps to
ensure a safe and healthy trip.
• If you’re pregnant, be sure to talk
with your doctor before making any
travel decisions. Pregnant women over
36 weeks may not be able to travel by
plane.
• Talk to your doctor if you have
blood clots, including deep vein
thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary
embolism (PE). Airplane travel, espe-
cially flights longer than 4 hours, may
increase the risk for DVT or PE.
◦ You are at increased risk for blood
clots, DVT, or PE if you:
▪ Have had DVT/PE in the past
▪ Have a family history of blood
clots
▪ Have had recent surgery (espe-
cially abdominal or orthopedic)
▪ Are pregnant, are postpartum, or
are taking birth control pills or hor-
mone replacement therapy
▪ Are a smoker
▪ Are overweight (BMI ≥30 kg/m2)
24•
▪ Have cancer, restricted move-
ment, or a blood-clotting problem
Check your destination and see a
doctor before you go
Check your destination for con-
cerns to be aware of before you leave.
Depending on where you’re going and
what you’ll be doing, you may need
vaccinations, medicines, and destina-
tion-specific advice before your trip.
See your doctor at least a month
before you go
CDC websites provide rec-
ommendations, but CDC cannot
give you specific medical advice.
Recommendations for vaccines and
medicines depend on many factors
that are specific to each person. You
should let your doctor know that you
are planning a trip at least 4 weeks
before departure to be sure you can
get the vaccines and medications you
need.
• Be sure to give your doctor the
following information about your trip
so they can assess your risks:
◦ Where you are traveling to
◦ When you are leaving
◦ The length of your trip
◦ What types of activities you might
do
◦ Other personal matters such as
your age, allergies, medical and vac-
cine history, and prior travel experi-
ence
• Follow the advice of your doctor
by getting the vaccines and medicines
that are recommended for you.
◦ Make sure that you are up to date
with all of your routine vaccinations,
including measles-mumps-rubella
(MMR) and a seasonal flu vaccine.
◦ Consider any recommended trav-
el vaccines for your destination.
Plan ahead for injuries. Consider
insurance
Know the different types of insur-
ance. Travelers are responsible for
hospital and other medical expenses
incurred during their trip. Be prepared
to pay out of pocket at the time you
receive any medical services while
abroad or if you cancel plans while
traveling, even if you do have insur-
ance.
• Trip Cancellation Insurance: Trip
cancellation insurance covers your
financial investment in your trip, such
as flights, cruises, and/or train tickets.
◦ Carefully examine the policy
to make sure it covers your needs,
including cancellation if you or a close
family member gets sick.
• Travel Health Insurance: If you
need to go to a hospital or clinic
overseas, you may need to pay out of
pocket for any services, which could
be very expensive.
◦ Check your health insurance plan
to see if it covers potential health
needs abroad.
◦ If your insurance doesn’t cover
you while you’re traveling, consider
purchasing additional insurance.
◦ If you plan to participate in
adventure activities, such as scuba
diving or hang gliding, you may need
additional extreme sports insurance.
• Medical Evacuation Insurance: If
you are traveling to a remote destina-
tion or to a place with limited medical
capabilities or accessibility, consider
buying medical evacuation insurance.
This kind of insurance will cover the
cost of transporting you to other parts
of a country or outside the country if
you are seriously ill or injured.
◦ It can be purchased separately or
as part of your travel health insurance
policy.
◦ It will pay for emergency trans-
portation from a remote area to a hos-
pital.
◦ Ensure that the policy provides a
24-hour physician support center for
you to contact in an emergency.
Pack smart
I. Pack a travel health kit
Prescription medicines
• Your prescriptions
• Travelers’ diarrhea antibiotic
• Medicines to prevent malaria
Medical supplies
• Glasses and contacts
• Medical alert bracelet or necklace
• Diabetes testing supplies
• Insulin
• Inhalers
• EpiPens
Over-the-counter medicines
TIMELESS MERIDIAN