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Winkler G. Weinberg, MD
Dr. Wink Weinberg has been an certified Infectious Disease specialist since 1984. He is author of No Germs Allowed! (How to avoid infectious diseases).

A “No Germs Allowed!” Short Summer Travel Checklist

Machu Pichu

Domestic Travel (traveling in the developed world)

· Pack items such as bandages for wound care. Remember that soap and water is the most important treatment after a wound.

· Use an insect repellant that contains DEET.

· In addition to these essentials, you might want to consider a water filter, motion sickness aids, and medicine for altitude sickness if you are climbing above 10,000 feet.

International Travel (travel to the developing world)

· The whole Domestic Travel list still applies. Now insect avoidance is more serious, so you will also want to also consider light and loose clothing with long sleeves and pants. Treating clothes with permethrins and using bed-netting are some other helpful strategies.

· “Boil it, Cook it, Peel it, or Forget it” is a handy mantra to help you remember food and drink precautions. Carbonated beverages are generally safe, too.

· The pills and shots you need are determined by your itinerary and your health history. The DIY way to find this information is to look up the countries on the CDC site. If you put “malaysia cdc.gov” into DuckDuckGo.com , you will be taken directly to the appropriate page.

· The better (but more expensive) way to get itinerary-specific advice is to go to a travel clinic. Six weeks before you depart is the right time to go. Find your closest travel clinic on ISTM.org, the site for the International Society of Travel Medicine, and go to the “Global Travel Clinic Directory.”

· Lastly, know that your highest risks in travel are not infections. If you are young, they are motor vehicle accidents and other forms of trauma. If you are older, your biggest travel risk is an exacerbation of a pre-existing medical condition; if you have heart disease, carry a copy of your most recent EKG with you.

Please enjoy your travel adventures, without any unwanted souvenirs.

Winkler G. Weinberg, MD

I have been an ID physician for over 3 decades. I am the author of No Germs Allowed! . If you liked this article, check out the book on Amazon .