UKHSA issues health warning to anyone with holidays booked in July
Summer is at its peak. But it's not just about securing your spot on a Parisian getaway, mapping out an Italian odyssey, or lazing under the Thai sun for a fortnight.
It's also a really sensible idea to know the ins and outs of staying well while indulging your wanderlust. With July marking the zenith of the British travel season, a wave of holidaymakers is poised to set sail for foreign shores in pursuit of exotic thrills and idyllic strands.
But charting unknown regions is not without its risks, prompting the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to provide vital advice for those plotting overseas jaunts this month. In a recent online briefing, Anjali Pai, the Border Health Lead at the UKHSA, highlighted the significance of being well-prepared before taking off.
She said: "Before we go on holiday, there are some things we can all do to reduce the risk of us becoming unwell. First of all, you can check the Travel Health Pro Website which has got really good information on travelling and things to do before we travel."
Furthermore, she advised keeping abreast with the latest foreign travel guidance by consulting official government information. She pointed out that health risks and recommendations may shift – making it wise to stay updated even when returning to familiar stomping grounds, as noted by Surrey Live.
Immunisations and hand washing
Anjali urged holidaymakers to consult their GPs about necessary immunisations, highlighting: "There are also some travel vaccines that are really crucial if you're travelling to certain countries. Things like hepatitis A and typhoid can be easily prevented by a vaccine."
The sheer disappointment of falling ill during a lavish overseas hotel break due to an ailment contracted on the flight can ruin your trip. The UKHSA official suggests several steps to sidestep such mishaps.
Hand cleanliness is important, of course. Advice includes a thorough 30-second scrub with warm water and soap, especially before eating as well as after visits to the loo.
Also, keeping tissues at hand for sneezes or coughs is encouraged. For those planning a trip to tropical climes or places plagued by mosquitos, using repellents, donning long sleeves, and sleeping under mosquito nets are recommended strategies.
Anjali also added: "Safe sexual health is something we should all be practising when we are abroad by using condoms." Meanwhile, post-holiday sickness can often stem from bugs caught whilst away.
Thus, any returning Brits showing signs of illness, particularly if others in the group mirror these symptoms, should promptly consult their doctor.
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where Tom added the pair took part in "prayers and pints at the idyllic Church-owned inn in the Highlands".
A video shows Ben and Tom on their 1,000-mile tandem bike challenge during which they ate, drank and slept in pubs. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Two comedians have completed a 1,000 mile journey from Land's End to John O'Groats on a tandem bike to save British pubs - stopping at nearly 100. Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, together known as the 'Thinking Drinkers', finished their 'Great British Pub Ride' on July 3. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The pair began their journey on a two-wheeled, two-man tandem bike on Friday June 20 - and for two weeks only ate, drank, slept and stopped in British boozers. They decided to embark on the adventure after learning from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) that around six pubs are closing every week in the UK. Tom said: "We've always loved pubs but the overwhelming warmth, generosity and goodwill that we've received on this journey has blown us away. 'It's been an incredible experience and we've met so many wonderful people on both sides of the bar'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad During the two-week pub pilgrimage, Tom and Ben cycled over 1,000 miles in total - and they visited at least four pubs every day. The pair said they had a wild experience, as they bumped into 'The Stig' in his local, enjoyed their first ever 'Wigan Kebab', stumbled into a thrash metal music festival in the highest pub in Scotland, and had some cake at the remotest pub in mainland Britain. Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, together known as the 'Thinking Drinkers' at John O'Groats on their Great British Pub Ride. | Deft Productions / SWNS Ben and Tom rode on a tandem bike which they borrowed, yet had 'hardly ridden', from a man they met down the pub. Ben said: 'It's been a brutal bike ride, full of ups and downs, but it's nothing compared to the very real challenges facing the people running pubs up and down the country. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'People think pubs are just a place for a pint but, from Cornwall to the Cairngorms, we've seen that they are so much more than that - one in three visits to a pub doesn't involve an alcoholic drink. "At a time of increasing isolation and a growing mental health epidemic, pubs are proven antidotes to loneliness where people can forge genuine social networks - not online ones.' On their journey, Ben and Tom encountered publicans who provide yoga classes for the local community, warm spaces in winter for the elderly, barbershops and package delivery services - to name but a few. The pair said some of their favourite pubs they visited were the Salutation Inn, in Ham, Berkeley, as Tom described the boozer as a "wonderful wet led pub with great drinks and a lovely guy running it". Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ben McFarland and Tom Sandham, together known as the 'Thinking Drinkers' at Havener's Bar and Grill in Fowley, Cornwall. | Deft Productions / SWNS The most remote pub in Britain His other favourite was the Crask Inn, in Lairg, the most remote boozer in Britain - where Tom added the pair took part in "prayers and pints at the idyllic Church-owned inn in the Highlands". Ben said he loved the Barkley Tavern, in Springfield, Wigan, because "the owner Debbie and her family breathed life back into a derelict boozer and provide so much help to their local community". He said: "I also enjoyed the Old Success Inn, in Penzance, as it was a cracking Cornish pub overlooking Sennen Cove - where our adventures began with some morning yoga on the terrace. "An instant hit was also the Kings Arms in South Zeal: a classic traditional village pub filled with welcoming locals and a lovely atmosphere." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ben and Tom said their ride helped them to understand the day-to-day difficulties publicans and landlords face; ranging from ever-increasing energy bills, business rates, impractical environmental levies and industry taxation levels far in excess of other European countries. Tom said: 'The costs for pubs to simply do business are far too high - based on turnover and profit, no other business sector in the economy is taxed so heavily and unjustly.'
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