7 principles for looking after your health on holiday
The holidays are a time for rest and revitalisation, but they can also have undesired consequences if we don’t take the right precautions.
- Take the trouble to find good ecological and epidemiological information about the place we are going to visit. In the case of there being any alterations to our state of health, we must immediately inform either the authorities or the healthcare professionals.
- In general, our aim must lie in trying to disturb the wildlife as little as possible. We must take into account that the alteration of their habitat may cause animals to move (for example, to areas where they know that they can find food and waste, due to the presence of human beings), causing imbalances in the ecosystem and even the transmission of diseases.
- As animal watching involves risks of scratches, bites or more serious injuries, we must always remain at the correct distance and be well-informed about the behaviour of each species. We must also avoid making loud noises or sudden movements that could frighten or provoke them.
- We must be aware that our presence in a natural setting may contaminate the ecosystems and affect them on different levels, in addition to human health; for example, when we use detergents for washing clothes or we do not eliminate rubbish in the correct way (particularly, plastic or electronic waste.)
- We should always be proactive regarding questions of health, taking all the necessary precautions. Medical tests or vaccinations when necessary should be carried out prior to the holiday, in addition to knowing the action protocols for healthcare risk situations, having a first aid kit or a provision of medicines and relevant healthcare products for the place to be visited.
- Suitble protection equipment must be available, such as face masks if we are in settings with a high exposure to wild animal excrement. It is also essential to use insect repellent to prevent mosquito and tick bites, which can transmit diseases.
- We must use solar protection to prevent skin diseases when we are in nature. It is also advisable to use products that do not damage the coral reefs, that is to say, that do not contain ingredients related to the decolouring of the coral reefs.
