Health & Safety
Researching the health and safety concerns of your host country is a critical step in planning for a successful stay abroad. In most cases, health risks will be very similar to what you would experience in your own country. There are, however, some countries or regions for which you may require additional immunizations or where you may need to take additional precautions for the handling and consumption of certain foods and/or water. In addition, if you take prescription medication or over the counter medication on a regular basis it is advisable that you research their availability and legality in your host country.
ISEP recommends visiting the following organizations’ websites for detailed and expert health and safety information.
Centers for Disease Control: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/
World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/en/
As an ISEP participant you are also entitled to receive health and safety information while travelling abroad through FrontierMEDEX, including referrals to doctors and clinics in your immediate vicinity and up-to-date information on emerging issues of concern. Their website is listed below.
FrontierMEDEX: www.frontiermedex.com
Additional Health Information – Tips
These are some additional health tips to consider. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but simply some things learned from experience. The CDC and WHO websites listed above are the most authoritative sources for health information.
Medications
- As noted above, you can’t assume that all medications available in your home country are either available or legal in your host country, so do the research in advance to make sure.
- If you take a supply of medications with you it’s best to travel with them in their original containers.
Water
- Contaminated water is a common source of illness among travelers, so pay close attention to the source of the water you drink, as well as water used in cooking or washing food. The CDC link to further information about preventing water borne illnesses is http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/water-treatment.htm.
Immunizations and Endemic Diseases
- Students should use the CDC website to learn about diseases such as malaria which may be more common in your host countries than at home, as well as inoculations or medicines required for prevention.
- Your host coordinator is also a potential source of information about your specific location’s requirements.
- In addition to researching your host country’s health environment, you should also research any countries you may be visiting or traveling through while abroad, in case those have additional immunization requirements or health recommendations