Nothing puts a damper on summer adventure quite like an unexpected illness or injury. To ensure a fun and healthy season, here’s some summer travel safety tips you should consider!

Summer Travel Sickness – Need to Know

Summer is a time for travel, memories, and adventure! However, it’s also a time for getting sick, often in the most unwelcome of circumstances. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), millions of people get sick while traveling each year. The most common travel-related illnesses are caused by foodborne illness, respiratory infections, and diarrheal diseases. Getting sick before a big vacation is the ultimate “summer-bummer”, and a common one according to these statistics:

• 1 in 5 travelers will get sick while traveling.
• Foodborne illness is the leading cause of travel-related illness, accounting for about 50% of all cases.
• Respiratory infections are the second leading cause of travel-related illness, accounting for about 25% of all cases.
• Diarrheal diseases are the third leading cause of travel-related illness, accounting for about 20% of all cases.

Summer Travel Safety Tips

If you want to avoid the summer-blues, these summer travel safety tips can reduce your risk for getting sick or seriously ill:

1. Stay hydrated: The most important thing you can do to stay healthy while traveling is to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids (especially water) throughout the day. If you’re sweating a lot, you may need to increase your fluid intake.
2. Practice good hygiene: One of the most simplistic and effective ways you can stay healthy during travel is washing your hands frequently, especially before and after eating. While on the go, pack a portable hand sanitizer to keep in your bag, purse, or pocket.
3. Listen to your body: Especially while traveling, it can be easy to ignore early illness symptoms for the sake of fun. If you feel like you are getting sick, stay inside, rest, hydrate, and don’t overexert yourself.
4. Avoid mosquito bites if possible: Mosquitoes can transmit diseases like Zika, dengue, and malaria, something Texans know all too well! To avoid mosquito bites, use insect repellent when outdoors.
5. Eat healthy foods: It’s easy to overindulge when you’re on vacation, but it’s important to eat healthy foods to keep your immune system strong. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and limit processed foods and excess alcohol.
6. Get enough sleep: When you’re traveling, it can be hard to get enough sleep, and even tempting to neglect it altogether. However, it’s important to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to keep your immune system at peak performance.

Additional Tips for Added Safety

• To protect yourself from skin cancer, wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and reapply every two hours or more if you’re sweating or swimming.
• If you’re traveling to a foreign country, be sure to get vaccinated against any diseases that are common in that area.
• If you have any chronic health conditions, be sure to pack your medications and bring a copy of your doctor’s prescription.
• Especially if you’re traveling with children, be sure to pack plenty of healthy snacks, drinks, over-the-counter meds, and vitamins.