If you’re planning an upcoming trip or you’re eager to go on holiday this year, you’ll want to ensure you can do so safely. While COVID-19 is still making it tricky to travel to some locations, people with pre-existing medical conditions need to be extra careful when it comes to international travel.
However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t travel if you have a pre-existing condition. By taking a few extra precautions and planning your trip carefully, you can still enjoy exploring the world. To ensure you’ve got everything covered, take a look at these top tips for staying safe abroad with a pre-existing condition:
1. Choose the Right Destination
If you regularly require medical treatment, you’re going to want to choose a destination that makes it easy for you to access the help you need. Instead of going camping in remote wilderness, for example, you may want to choose a town or city break that puts you in close proximity to hospitals and medical centres.
Furthermore, you may want to check what level of healthcare is offered at your potential destination. Other countries have different healthcare standards, so choosing a location that will enable you to access the help you need is critical.
2. Get Medical Travel Insurance
Almost everybody is advised to take out medical insurance before they travel because you never know when an illness or injury will occur. However, if you have a pre-existing condition, it’s particularly important to choose a travel insurance policy that will give you the cover you need.
Many travel insurers exclude people with pre-existing conditions, so be sure to read the small print before you purchase a policy. Fortunately, insurance companies like Staysure make it easy for people with pre-existing medical conditions to access the level of cover they require. What’s more – you can purchase low-cost travel insurance that covers pre-existing conditions, so you won’t have to blow your budget. To learn more about purchasing travel insurance when you have a pre-existing condition, see the Staysure website for more details.
3. Take Medication with You
If you have an existing or chronic medical condition, you may take a variety of medications in order to manage your symptoms. If your medication is prescribed by a doctor, you may need to request more than usual to cover the time that you’ll be away. It’s important to remember that the rules and laws regarding medications differ from country to country. Some prescription medications available in the UK aren’t permitted in foreign countries, for example.
In addition to this, you may need to get a personal licence to be able to take some medications abroad. Taking your medical information and your doctor’s contact details it always advisable when you’re travelling, as it helps to prove that you’re travelling with medication for valid reasons.
4. Know How to Access Help
When you’re travelling to an international location, it’s essential to know how to access help when you need it. Before you leave for your trip, be sure to find out which numbers to call in case of a medical emergency. Similarly, learn how to communicate essential medical information in the local language. If possible, have important information translated and written down, so that you can let medical personnel know about your pre-existing illness, if you need to.
Travelling with a Pre-Existing Condition
Although travelling with a pre-existing condition can feel nerve-wracking at first, it doesn’t have to be. By getting the right medical travel insurance in place, researching your destination and prioritising your well-being, you can enjoy your trip and stay as safe as possible while you’re abroad.
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