Health Advice

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have had all of the necessary vaccinations for your choice of destination and if you are unsure, always check with your GP for any recommended vaccinations prior to travel.

The Department of Health recommends Hepatitis A, Polio, Tetanus and Typhoid vaccinations when travelling to Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Goa, Jamaica, Maldives, Mexico and Tunisia. Anti-malarial precautions are also essential when travelling to Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Goa.

Please seek advice from your doctor before travelling and please note there may be a fee for vaccinations.

We have a few helpful tips and suggestions to help you to avoid spending your well-earned holiday scratching those irritating insect bites. 

Dampen a cotton wool pad or tissue with hot water and add a few drops of lavender oil on to it. The lavender is great for relaxing and mosquitoes hate it! 

Vitamin B1 deters midges because it omits a smell they don't like. Because humans can't smell it, it makes an ideal insect repellant and as long as you start taking it 1-2 months before travel, you'll be mosquito bite free. 

Gastric illness is a relatively common occurrence when travelling abroad but luckily, there are a number of ways you can reduce the possibility of being affected. Avoiding undercooked food, ice drinks and over exposure to the sun and drinking plenty of bottled water are just a few but being prepared with some diarrhea control tablets and electrolyte replacement powders for children will also help.

To prevent sunburn, avoid sunbathing on the beach or by the pool between 11am and 3pm, apply waterproof suncream that protects against UVA and UVB every 2 hours and use t-shirts and hats for added protection. The best treatment for sunburn is prevention. 

The EHIC is the new E111 and can be used to cover any necessary medical treatment due to either an accident or illness within the European Economic Area (EEA). The EHIC entitles the holder to state-provided medical treatment within the country they are visiting and the service provided will be the same as received by a person covered by the country's 'insured' medical scheme. Be sure to apply for yours in plenty of time for your holiday. Apply online with the NHS.

For travel outside the EU make sure your travel insurance will cover any medical costs should anything happen.

At Direct Holidays, we realise that travellers may have concerns about health and safety issues whilst they are abroad, including the detection of carbon monoxide.
We are working to ensure that all of our customers can access information on carbon monoxide safety, both in the home and while on holiday. For more information on how to obtain and fit a detector in your home so that you and your family can be protected all year round, visit the E.ON website. Detectors can also be used on holiday in the UK and abroad.

For further advice on gas safety on holiday visit the Health & Safety Executive website.

Try not to stray too far from your usual diet while on holiday. Having lobster, prawns, salad items and a little bit of steak washed down with 10 pints of the local brew is more likely to be your problem - not food poisoning.