Health While Travelling — Vaccines and Medicine Kit

Which vaccines do you need, what medicines should you pack, and how do you avoid food poisoning? A practical guide to healthy travel in 2026.

Most travel illnesses are preventable with simple precautions. When you take care of vaccines, drinking water and basic hand hygiene, your risk of getting sick drops to a fraction. This guide walks through the practical things every traveller should know — regardless of destination.

Vaccines — book early

Keep routine vaccinations up to date and check destination-specific advice in good time. CDC recommends an appointment with a healthcare provider or travel-health specialist at least 4–6 weeks before departure, because some vaccines require multiple doses or time for immunity to develop.

The vaccines and medicines you need depend on destination, trip length, health status and planned activities. Use official destination-specific travel-health guidance and discuss individual recommendations with a healthcare professional.

Asia, Africa and Latin America cannot be treated as one vaccination zone. The need for hepatitis A, typhoid, yellow-fever prevention or malaria measures depends on the country and sometimes the exact region. Malaria prevention can involve mosquito-bite avoidance and, for some destinations, prescription prophylaxis.

Proof of yellow-fever vaccination may be required by some countries or for travellers arriving from a risk area. Check the destination's entry requirement before travel. Individual vaccine or medication decisions should be made with a healthcare professional.

Travel pharmacy — the basics

Always pack: pain reliever (paracetamol/ibuprofen), antihistamine (allergic reactions), anti-diarrhoeal (loperamide), electrolyte powder (e.g. Resorb), plasters and gauze, blister cream, hand sanitiser, earplugs, and antiseptic ointment for small cuts. For tropical trips add: insect repellent (DEET ≥30 %), SPF 50+ sunscreen, mosquito net and a small water filter or purification tablets.

Carry prescription medicines in their original packaging and keep a prescription or medication list with you, in English when useful. Medicine import rules vary by country, especially for controlled or psychotropic medicines. Check the destination authority or embassy to see whether a certificate or advance permit is required.

Bring enough of your regular medicine for the trip plus a reasonable reserve for delays. The appropriate amount depends on the medicine and trip length; ask a pharmacist or clinician if needed.

Water and food — avoiding food poisoning

The golden rule in the tropics: 'Boil it, peel it, cook it, or forget it.' Don't drink tap water and don't use ice unless you're sure of its origin. Bottled water caps must be sealed. Use bottled or filtered water for brushing teeth too. In the shower, keep your mouth closed.

Street food isn't dangerous — often the opposite. Choose places with queues and local customers: a busy kitchen means fresh ingredients. Avoid chilled salads, peeled fruit you didn't peel yourself, and dairy products in uncertain conditions. Hot, freshly cooked food is usually the safest choice.

If you do fall ill

The cornerstone of traveller's-diarrhoea treatment is adequate rehydration and replacement of fluid losses. Pharmacy oral rehydration solution (ORS) is useful when diarrhoea or vomiting is substantial.

Loperamide may be used by people over 12 according to the instructions, but it is not recommended when there is high fever or substantial blood in the stool, and it should not be used for more than a few days. Seek medical care if your general condition worsens, dehydration is a concern, stool is clearly bloody, high fever persists or symptoms are prolonged.

For severe symptoms, worsening of an underlying condition or uncertainty about medication, contact healthcare and, where relevant, your travel insurer's emergency service.

Fluid needs rise in hot weather, but there is no single fixed 3–4-litre daily rule suitable for everyone. Drink regularly according to thirst, heat, physical activity and your own health, and consider electrolyte replacement when appropriate. If you have a condition that requires fluid or salt restriction, follow your clinician's advice.

In areas with mosquito-borne disease, reduce bites with covering clothing, an appropriate repellent and, where relevant, a mosquito net.

Insurance is essential

A single hospital day abroad can cost thousands of euros. Good travel insurance also covers medical evacuation home, which can run to tens of thousands in serious cases. Save the insurer's 24/7 number both in your phone and on paper. Read our packing list before packing — most people forget exactly these health items.

Finally: prevention is the best medicine. Wash your hands carefully, eat and drink with care, rest enough and listen to your body. Mild symptoms are normal on the road — the body simply adjusts to a new environment and bacterial flora. But if something feels serious, don't hesitate to seek help. Finnish travel medicine has a global network — use it.

Long flights and jet lag

Continuous travel lasting more than four hours can increase the risk of deep-vein thrombosis, especially when other risk factors are present. CDC advises standing or walking when possible about every 2–3 hours and exercising the calves and legs while seated. If you have had a previous clot, recent surgery, pregnancy or another risk factor, discuss compression stockings or other prevention with a clinician before travel.

For jet lag, moving sleep and wake times toward the destination schedule and using daylight at appropriate times can help. Adjustment varies between people, so a rigid “one day per time zone” rule should not be treated as a medical fact.

Read next

Payout limits and coverage are explained in the travel insurance guide and the travel insurance comparison 2026, and the contents of a medicine kit in the complete packing list.