What to put in your travel first aid kit
Summer, sun, sea and sand: if you’re planning a trip to a faraway continent you should think about replenishing your first-aid kit in good time and taking the necessary precautions – especially if you’re going to the tropics, Africa, Asia or South America.
In any case, before you leave on any holiday it’s worth checking your emergency medical supplies to make sure you have everything you need for your destination. What you take with you will depend on things like the length of your trip, how far you’ll be travelling, and how you’re planning to get around.
What to put in your travel first aid kit:
- Individual needs: Medication for children, earplugs, contraceptives, support stockings for vein problems, insect repellent, and drugs for malaria, travel sickness and nausea, and allergies
- Sun protection: Sunscreen with adequate protection, after-sun lotion, sunburn treatment
- Wound care/dressings: Gauze compresses, adhesive bandage, plasters, Steri-Strips (butterfly closures), disinfectant, scissors, tweezers, bandage clips and antiseptic ointment
- Aches, pains and colds: Thermometer, cough syrup, eye drops, painkillers, electrolyte solution for rehydration, stock cubes
- What else to take: Paper tissues, wet wipes, head covering, water filter or chemical water treatment, something for muscle and joint pain, diarrhoea and constipation
Further tips:
- Before you travel consult your doctor or visit the following link to find out what vaccinations you might need: www.healthytravel.ch
- If you’re taking medication you should make sure you take sufficient supplies with you.
- Ask your doctor whether it makes sense to take a course of malaria tablets prophylactically.
- Avoid petting animals, as they may be carrying communicable diseases such as rabies.
- Eat only cooked foods, and wash or peel fruit and vegetables.
VACANZA: SWICA travel insurance for worldwide protection
A VACANZA supplementary insurance plan from SWICA gives you optimum cover anywhere in the world. In the event of illness or accident, SWICA offers you worldwide financial protection and pays for the medical treatment and any rescue and repatriation costs.
17.07.2019
In the event of further health-related questions, SWICA customers can contact the santé24 telemedicine service free of charge on +41 44 404 86 86. A telemedicine practice licence allows santé24 physicians to provide additional medical services in cases that are suited to a telemedicine approach. SWICA customers can also use the BENECURA medical app to carry out a digital SymptomCheck and receive recommendations about what to do next. During a subsequent phone call with santé24, customers can decide for themselves whether to release their information from SymptomCheck to santé24.
