The state of international travel from the UK is still uncertain, but with talk of vaccine passports and various changes to red and amber lists, it seems that our ability to travel abroad should begin to open up over the coming months.
If you are thinking of planning a trip abroad, now more than ever, it is essential that you think about your and your team’s health when travelling.
Public Health England (PHE) has recently published updated guidance on malaria prevention for travelers from the UK. You can download the full guidance here. Some of the key take home take home messages are:
1. The COVID-19 pandemic is believed to have caused significant disruptions to malaria eradication schemes in sub-Saharan Africa. This will likely lead to increased risk of malaria in many areas, including those previously believed to have interrupted transmission.
2. There were 1719 cases of imported malaria to the UK in 2019, 85% of these were Falciparum.
3. Malaria Rapid Detection Tests (RDTs) are still NOT routinely recommended for travelers.
4. Always use at least 50% DEET insect repellent.
5. The ABCD of malaria prevention remains the mainstay of protecting yourself:
A – Awareness of Risk.
B – Bite Prevention.
C – Chemoprophylaxis.
D – Diagnose promptly and treat without delay.
Full guidance, along with country specific mapping, risk assessments and chemoprophylaxis is available for download from Public Health England.
