What is Adventure Travel?

Adventure travel involves trekking through more remote locations like mountains, deserts, or forests, and participants in adventure trips partake in strenuous outdoor physical activities. Climbing, hiking, mountain biking, paragliding, rafting and zip-lining are among the high-adrenaline activities that adventure travelers enjoy at their destinations.

What Are the Risks of Adventure Travel?

Because adventure travel is characterized by venturing to locations that are often outside of developed areas, there will typically not be medical facilities within close proximity. Travelers also often participate in extreme sports and activities, so there is a greater possibility of sustaining injuries that range from sprained joints to pulled muscles, of suffering falls, and even getting altitude sickness when climbing to great heights. Many destinations for adventure travelers also have other environmental factors that increase risk, such as extreme temperatures, steep cliffs, high winds and rugged terrain.

How to Stay Safe

For these reasons (to name but a few!), adventure travelers must plan ahead to ensure they are healthy enough for their trips, and they must take the necessary steps to remain safe and healthy abroad. It’s always a good idea to have an emergency plan in the event medical attention is required abroad. Visiting a travel clinic is an excellent first step in getting this plan together and taking other preventative measures. Travel experts are able to advise adventure travelers of potential health risks that may be associated with their desired destination. Travel health specialists, knowledgable in immunology and destination-specific risks, are well-equipped to make sure clients have received all required and recommended vaccinations and that any potential underlying health conditions that may interfere with travel have been identified prior to departure. Travel health specialists will also ensure that adventure travelers acquire any medical supplies and/or prescriptions they may need while abroad.

How to Avoid Injuries

Avoiding injuries and illness overseas is a priority for all travelers, but it especially important on an adventure trip that inherently brings greater risks. When traveling to locations that may have extreme temperatures, it is important to bring clothes to dress appropriately. Packing blankets, jackets, pants and long sleeves can help travelers avoid hypothermia or developing sickness in regions that are cold and/or damp. Bringing a water purification system is essential in areas in which the water supply may not be safe for drinking. Using insect repellent and sleeping under a mosquito net can help travelers avoid mosquito-borne illnesses in tropical locations. Consulting a travel health specialist to receive necessary and recommended vaccines and antimalarial medicines can also help prevent illness. Although adventure travel will inherently involve an element of risk, travelers should not let adrenaline interfere with common sense and are advised to avoid unnecessarily exposing themselves to harm by engaging in activities that may endanger their health or that are prohibited for safety reasons.

Packing Tips

Packing requirements will vary from location to location, but a few tips are nearly universal in application. In addition to climate-appropriate clothing, having a money belt is a good way to keep money, a passport, and credit cards securely on the traveler’s person. Sunscreen and a first aid kit are also essentials. Waterproof bags or plastic resealable bags come in handy for keeping important travel documents safe and dry.

No matter the destination, by following these tips and planning a visit with a travel health specialist, adventure seekers can remain safe and healthy while still getting a blast of adrenaline.

Sources
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/adventure
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/adventure-travel-gear-checklist.html

Flu season is here, and now is the best time to get your flu vaccine to ensure that you, your family, and your coworkers are protected. Flu is a common, seasonal illness that has devastating impact every year. Shockingly, an average of 24,000 Americans die from the flu and related complications each year. In an effort to provide a little extra protection, vaccine manufacturers have introduced a new flu vaccine this year, called the quadrivalent vaccine, that protects against the four flu strains experts expect to be the most common and serious this season.

About the Quadrivalent Flu Vaccine

The quadrivalent flu vaccine is unlike the traditional flu vaccine in that instead of protecting adults and children against three circulating strains of the flu virus, it protects against four. This may be especially important for children because children are highly susceptible to the fourth virus strain that only the quadrivalent vaccine contains. For the past approximately 30 years, the flu vaccine has included protection against two circulating strains of Type A influenza virus and one strain of Type B influenza virus. However, the quadrivalent vaccine includes the two Type A strains plus two Type B strains for additional protection against illness.

Who Should Get Vaccinated Against the Flu?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges that everyone aged 6 months and older be vaccinated against the flu each year. Vaccination is especially important for pregnant women; people over the age of 65; people with diabetes, chronic lung diseases and asthma; and household contacts and caregivers of any of those at-risk groups. The human body takes about two weeks to develop full immunity after receiving the flu shot, so earlier is better when it comes to vaccination. Children may receive the most benefit from the quadrivalent vaccine, since the Type B strain tends to strike this age group more than middle aged people. However, it is important to note that the CDC does not recommend one type of vaccine over the other, and even the American Academy of Pediatrics agrees that the most important preventative measure to take is getting vaccinated, regardless of the type of flu vaccine received.

Other Flu Vaccines Available This Season

The 2013-2014 flu season will see an unprecedented number of vaccine options available. There is an egg-free shot, for individuals who are allergic to eggs, and there has been growing interest in the High Dose flu shot, made especially for people age 65 and older. Additionally, options are available for the needle-phobic crowd since the flu vaccine can be delivered via a tiny pin-prick and as a nasal mist. However, don’t let all of these options cause confusion; the best means to protect your health this flu season is to receive the flu vaccine, regardless of the specific form! Visit your local Passport Health clinic to get vaccinated!

Sources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/03/quadrivalent-flu-vaccines-protect-4-strains_n_3859959.html
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/vaccine-selection.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines/keyfacts.html

Flu can spread like wildfire in the workplace, which is why a great many employers are already holding on-site flu vaccination clinics. A workplace vaccination clinic against the flu makes it convenient and simple for employees to receive their annual flu vaccination. Employers appreciate the cost-effectiveness of on-site flu vaccination clinics as preventing even just one infection with the flu could save thousands of dollars in lost productivity and healthcare costs. Follow these tips to ensure your workplace flu clinic is a success.

Make Vaccination a Priority

Employers should communicate to employees that flu vaccination is a priority. Employees should be given leeway to attend the clinic without having to use their lunch hour or break time to get their vaccine. Giving employees this benefit shows that the employer really cares about their health and well-being. Turn the event into something that makes employees excited to attend. Provide some light snacks such as fresh fruit and bottled water to further encourage participation and healthy behavior. Create ambiance in the flu clinic location with banners, balloons or even some music. Make the vaccination clinic a true event.

Promote the Flu Clinic

Use multiple means of communication to promote the workplace flu clinic. Use company email, and place flyers by the drinking fountain, break area, elevator, rest rooms and anywhere else that people congregate. Announce the clinic at staff meetings and during other gatherings.

Encourage Healthy Behaviors

During the clinic, provide employees with information to help keep them healthy throughout flu season. These tips will also encourage good health all year long.

• Encourage good hygiene among employees. Provide ample hand soap in restrooms. Set up hand sanitizer near elevators, stairwells, in meeting rooms and other common areas. Encourage staff to sneeze and cough into their elbows to avoid the spread of germs.
  

• Provide cleaning supplies so that employees can keep their workstations clean. Using disinfectant wipes on surfaces such as phones, keyboards and common printers can cut down on the spread of disease.
  

• Advise employees to increase the physical distance between one another. In the event of a flu outbreak, avoidance of handshaking and other close contact can help prevent infection.

Communicate Workplace Sick Policies

If an employee does become sick with the flu, he or she should be allowed to go home at the first signs and symptoms of illness. Because a person is contagious from one day before symptoms through five to seven days after illness onset, keeping sick people out of the office is essential in stopping the spread of the disease. Giving employees sick leave not only helps them get better faster, but it can stop other staff from becoming ill.

Flu season is upon us again, and it is time to protect your health and the health of those you love. You know a seasonal flu shot is the best means of preventing the flu each flu season, but for senior populations this shot may not provide adequate protection.

The high dose vaccine is the only flu shot specifically formulated for people over 65. Indeed, studies have shown that the traditional, seasonal flu shot does not prevent the flu as well in senior populations as it does in younger people. As the body ages, the immune system gets weaker. This means the body’s ability to bounce back from disease decreases with age as well. A weakened immune system can have very serious complications during flu season.
Seniors are more likely than their younger counterparts to have existing health problems, and the flu is more likely to cause serious complications, hospitalization, or even death when someone is already unwell.

Thousands of people (between 3,000 to 49,000 in particularly bad years) die from the flu each season in the US alone. Almost 90% of these deaths occur in people over age 65.

For these reasons, it is crucial that seniors take extra care of their health. After consulting with a healthcare professional to determine if this vaccine is appropriate given specific health issues or allergies, seniors should consider the only flu vaccine made specifically for them.

Remember, even a mild case of the flu results in ample unpleasantness: coughing, sore throat, fever, chills, headache and more. However, it is possible to prevent all of these nasty symptoms and more. According the CDC, the best means of preventing the flu each season is with a seasonal flu shot.

Traveling internationally with an infant requires careful planning in advance of your departure. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 2 million children travel internationally every year. Attention to detail prior to departure will allow you and your family to enjoy a successful and healthy trip abroad.

1. Applying for a Passport

Children of all ages are required to have a U.S. passport in order to travel abroad, but, remember, it can take as long as six weeks to receive this documentation. Therefore, it is advised that parents begin the application process well in advance of an international trip. A passport for an infant can be obtained without a social security number. In such instances, an official copy of the child’s birth certificate will prove to be sufficient.

When applying for an infant passport, the child must be present along with both parents. If one parent is unavailable, additional documentation may be required, such as a notarized statement from the absentee parent, custody decree, or death certificate. The application process can be accelerated by downloading the application document online before visiting an authorized passport application center. Finally, investigate the visa and passport requirements for your destination in order to avoid any surprises along the way.

2. Airline Seating Standards

An FAA-approved car or infant seat will be required for any child that will be occupying a seat rather than sitting on the lap of a parent. Approved safety devices can be secured by using an airline seat belt, and be sure to follow all seating guidelines.

3. Supply Checklist

There are a number of items that anyone traveling with an infant will want to pack for the trip. Here are a few necessities and conveniences that will make international travel safer and easier for your family:

• Purchase an electrical converter unit for use in hotels.
• There is a good deal of concern about children being transported illegally across international borders. In the event that a child is traveling with one parent only, it’s wise to carry custody documents or a notarized permission statement signed by the absentee parent.
• Take care to pack vital travel supplies, including items such as sunscreen, insect repellent, a water purification kit, and bug netting for the stroller.
• Determine whether your existing health insurance will provide reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred abroad. If not, consider purchasing a temporary health insurance policy.
• Be sure to pack copies of relevant health records in the event that medical care becomes necessary. It may also be advisable to contact the US Embassy in your destination to obtain a list of local physicians.

4. Disease Prevention

Consulting with a Travel Health Specialist before embarking on an international excursion is vital. A consultation will allow for review of the child’s vaccination record, and your specialist will make important health recommendations.
Note that infant travelers are susceptible to diarrhea and gastrointestinal disorders. Parents should take the following precautions:

• Use only purified water for drinking and infant formula. Breast feeding is the safest option.
• Thoroughly clean toys and pacifiers before giving them to an infant.
• Avoid consumption of unpasteurized dairy products.

It’s important to watch an infant closely for any sign of illness, especially diarrhea. This is particularly true for destinations where malaria, tuberculosis and intestinal parasites are prevalent. The presence of a fever in excess of 101.5°F or an inability to retain liquids is cause for concern. The attention of a local physician is recommended in such cases.

Remember, extra careful preparations and special care are required when traveling abroad with an infant child. Nothing is more important than the health of your little ones, and returning home with a healthy baby and happy memories is more than worth the extra effort!

Source:
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2024/family/infants-and-children