Name: Mikayla
Age: 16
Lives in: Ohio
Destination: Villa Nueva, Guatemala
Trip Date: Summer 2013

Like many Central American countries, Guatemala is a land of contrast. Great natural beauty easily yields to trash-strewn urban barrios. The threat of crime and violence can overshadow the welcoming warmth of locals. And to Mikayla, a teen traveler from Ohio, it was the striking disparity between the impoverished lifestyles of many Guatemalans and the happiness in which they seemed to live.

“What I found most interesting was how they had nothing but were still the most friendly people I had ever met,” she said. “They spent their spare time just playing and having a great time with each other.”

With a few months hindsight, Mikayla, whose mother is a Passport Health Travel Medicine Specialist, filled us in on her church-sponsored journey and lifelong lessons learned along the way.

Passport Health: Why Guatemala?

Mikayla: We were helping to build a roof for an add-on that locals were constructing on their orphanage. And we also built some cabinets for the local people.

Passport Health: Had you traveled abroad before?

Mikayla: I had not. This was my first time.

Passport Health: How did daily life of the locals differ from the life you live back in the states?

Mikayla: Oh my goodness! They wake up super early in the morning to get their chores done. They walked everywhere no matter how far they had to go. And they start cooking and preparing meals first thing in the morning.

Passport Health: Did you eat any local delicacies or interesting foods during your trip?

Mikayla: I did! They made grilled chicken. So, that wasn’t much different. But I had some frijoles (beans) they had boiled and then mushed up and also tortillas they had hand made.

Passport Health: The weather is different than your hometown. Was it challenging to acclimate?

Mikayla: Yes, it was warm but it wasn’t unbearable. The sun was a lot closer so we got sunburned faster than what we were used too.

Passport Health: What about your trip was most surprising?

Mikayla: That’s a tough one; I wasn’t expecting it to be so dirty (trash everywhere) and animals to be wandering on the streets. They didn’t have storm drains there so when it rained the dirt roads were turned into rivers of nasty dirty water.

Passport Health: Did you find any cultural similarities?

Mikayla: The only similarity there really was, was that they dressed the same as us.

Passport Health: How did your trip impact the way you view people living outside the U.S.?

Mikayla: It made me realize that there are amazing people all around the world that are so caring and just want to be treated with kindness. Those people have close to nothing but still wake up with a smile and keep living. They are the strongest people I have ever met.

Are you planning a trip to Guatemala? Be sure you are healthy and prepared for your adventure by scheduling a visit with a travel health specialist before you go.

Sources:
https://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1129.html
https://www.nuevoreto.org/

As a humanitarian aid worker, you will be travelling to some of the most impoverished and dangerous areas of the world as you provide essential assistance to those in areas subjected to natural disaster or war. This aid can also come in the form of missionary work to people in third-world countries. In all of these situations, as a humanitarian aid worker, you will encounter a higher health risk than someone traveling through an area as a tourist. Therefore, proper pre-travel precautions are even more essential, and here are five tips to maintain your own health during the time you spend rendering assistance to those in need:

Preparing to Go

Once you learn that you are traveling overseas, you should schedule a visit with a travel health specialist. They can provide you with valuable information about the area to which you are traveling and the health risks you are likely to encounter. The specialist can then help you protect your health by supplying you with appropriate vaccinations, medications and essential components for your travel kit, such as water purification tablets, mosquito repellent and sunscreen.

Packing your Travel Kit

As a humanitarian aid worker, you will need to make sure that you have all the essential supplies with you to protect your own health abroad, as these items are not likely to be widely available in your destination. Some of the items you may want to pack include:

• water purification tablets and/or filtration system, if water sources may be compromised
• mosquito repellent and mosquito netting, in areas subject to malaria especially
• sunscreen and hat
• protective gloves and goggles
• protective face mask, in areas subject to contagious illness
• first aid kit
• medication for prevention of travelers’ diarrhea

Manage Your Stress Levels

When entering a disaster area, it is easy to become emotionally stressed by the people and situations that you encounter. Be sure to bring family photos with you, so you can maintain a connection with the world you left behind. Many humanitarian aid workers find that keeping a journal of their experiences is a great way to alleviate stress during the situation, and the journal can be an invaluable source of information as you plan for future missions. Contact with those at home can also be another way to manage stress and maintain essential communication with your loved ones.

Minimize Risk of Injury

If you are in an area that just suffered a natural disaster, you face the additional physical risk of injury from unstable building collapses or injuries caused by falling debris. Stay alert to your surroundings and the possible dangers you may encounter as you go into the community to render assistance. If you are injured while on-site, even if it is something as simple as a small cut, seek attention from medical personnel traveling with you in order to minimize the chance of infection.

Upon Your Return

When you return home, be aware of your own health condition. If you experience any medical symptoms indicating that you may have been exposed to illness or disease during your trip, arrange to visit a medical professional as soon as possible.

Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of depression. Over 30 percent of humanitarian aid workers experience depression after they return home. If you believe you are suffering from depression upon your return, seek counseling so that you can cope better with the issue.

Your service as a humanitarian aid worker is of great value to those you are helping. Maintaining your own physical and emotional health is of utmost importance, so you can continue to provide support services to those in need during a crisis situation.

Remember: Maintaining your own good health is the best way to ensure that you can be of help to others.

SOURCES:
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/humanitarian-aid-workers

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.