IAMAT |International Association of Medical Assistance to Travellers| IAMAT |International Association of Medical Assistance to Travellers|

Travel Health Journal

In the News

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In the news: The effects of COVID-19 on other infectious diseases

This article is part of our regular travel and global health news round-up. The crushing demands of the COVID-19 pandemic have strained healthcare systems and capacity around the world. Many communities have been responding to the pandemic and grappling with the collateral damage of COVID-19 on other public health crises, as seen by reports of increases in overdoses amid the opioid epidemic, increases in domestic abuse and as Oxfam reports, millions being pushed towards hunger. Physical distancing measures and lockdowns have kept some infectious diseases from spreading as they normally would – for now. However, many programs and funding streams typically dedicated to providing essential healthcare services have been temporarily put on hold or redirected. This has created a ...

COVID-19: Essential Reading

The COVID-19 pandemic has been dominating the news cycle for months now. To help you sift through the noise, we’ve collected articles and resources so you can stay up-to-date on the latest developments, current gaps in research, and what we can learn from the different global responses to this new disease. The basics of COVID-19: What you need to know For information on COVID-19 – including how it spreads, symptoms and what to do if you feel ill – refer to your local health authority and government. These sources will also have information on what prevention measures are currently taking place in your community. Make sure you and your family are following official guidance regarding physical distancing, travel, and ...

Hand holding a small globe

In the news: Mental health emergencies & insurance nightmares

The holiday travel season is almost here! In this edition of “In the News”, we found 4 stories that can help you avoid pitfalls on your holiday getaway. We’ve included tips and links to more detailed resources on travelling with medication, travel health insurance, antibiotic resistance, and mental health and travel. 1. What to do if you forget to pack your medication while traveling abroad, according to an expert Travel + Leisure What can you do if you forget to pack your medication for an international trip? It happens to even the most seasoned travellers, but it can be tricky to replace medication in another country! Travel + Leisure interviewed our Executive Director Tullia Marcolongo to find out how ...

Woman looking out at city

In the news: Travel and mental health

This article is part of our regular travel and global health news round-up. Let’s face it: With all the excitement that goes into planning a trip, we sometimes neglect our mental health. And when we’re away from home, jetlagged, and sleep deprived – small obstacles can suddenly feel overwhelming. Before you go, it’s important to consider your mental wellbeing and be prepared – whether you have a pre-existing mental health condition or not. Just like physical health, taking care of your mental health is an important part of staying healthy. In honour of Mental Health Awareness month, this news round-up explores various topics related to mental health and travel, including the global inequity of accessible mental health care and ...

Two hands holding a pill bottle and red pills. Photo by TheDigitalWay, Pixabay.

In the news: Finding safe medicines and avoiding fakes

This article is part of our regular travel and global health news round-up. Finding safe medicines abroad is a commonly-overlooked part of trip planning. Whether you take prescription medication or need over-the-counter medicine to treat an unexpected illness, it’s important to be aware of how to find safe, good quality medication when you’re travelling. Travel and safe medicines We were saddened by the news of two young travellers who died in Cambodia last month. The travellers were ill and had gone to a pharmacy for medication but were later found unresponsive in their hostel room. Their deaths are currently being investigated. Our thoughts are with their families. In a CBC News article about this case, Dr. Pierre Plourde of ...

Person standing on a beach in a storm. Photo by Witch Kiki, Unsplash.

In the news: Extreme weather

This article is part of our monthly travel and global health news round-up. Here at IAMAT, our main focus is on travel health and not specifically on safety when abroad (there are many organizations and government departments that provide useful travel safety information). However, the two often overlap, and nowhere is this more evident than during extreme weather at popular travel destinations. Flooding, hurricanes, heat waves, and other weather events can have sudden and dramatic impacts on the health and safety of travellers and local people. Hurricanes and flooding Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria battered the Caribbean and the southern United States in September. Some locations suffered minimal damage and were ready to host travellers again within a week or ...

Sea turtle swimming through a reef. Photo by Scott Ruzzene, Unsplash.

In the news: Coral reefs and sunscreen, toilets, and accessible travel

This article is part of our monthly travel and global health news round-up. This month we look at some of the big questions in responsible travel: Why are coral reefs dying? How do toilets and sanitation affect me and the communities I visit? We also look at two facets of accessible travel: A step by step guide to travelling with MS and one expert’s thoughts on why accessible travel is so rewarding, despite its challenges. In the news this month 1. Is Your Sunscreen Poisoning the Ocean? The New York Times It’s well known that protecting yourself from sun exposure helps to prevent sun damage that can lead to skin cancer and other illnesses. Sunscreen is one of the main ...

A man, woman, and child sitting on a low bridge by a field. Photo by Keith Moore.

In the news: Travel health insurance

This article is part of our monthly travel and global health news round-up. July and August are busy months for travellers. Several stories about travellers’ medical care experiences abroad have been in the news lately, so travel health insurance is the theme of this edition. In the news this month 1. Travel insurance providers remove mental health illness exclusions The Sydney Morning Herald Great news! Two Australian insurance companies have removed exclusions that deny travellers coverage for mental health conditions. This is a step in the right direction. We recognise the critical importance of incorporating specific cover for people with mental health conditions into our policies. – Mike Emmett, chief executive of the insurance company Cover-More Australia Travellers with ...

Three monkeys sitting on a wall in Nepal. Photo by Tullia Marcolongo.

In the news: A travel medicine pioneer, volunteering, monkeys, and dementia

You’re reading the latest edition of our monthly travel and health news round up. Every month, we share four interesting articles in travel and tropical medicine. Refugee health has been at the top of our minds recently. World Refugee Day on June 20 was an important reminder that not everyone gets to choose when and where they travel. (You can see the highlights of the recent North American Refugee Health Conference with the hashtag #NARHCTO on Twitter.) In the news this month 1. Martin Wolfe, doctor specializing in tropical and travel medicine, dies at 82 Washington Post Martin Wolfe was a long-time IAMAT physician. We will always remember his kindness and generosity. – IAMAT President M. Assunta Uffer-Marcolongo Dr. ...

The wing of an airplane over the ocean and an island.

In the news: Vaccines, bug spray, pharmacies, and brain drain

We’re trying something new: A monthly round up of fascinating articles in travel and global health. Every month, we’ll highlight issues of interest to travellers, initiatives in global health, tropical medicine research, scientific discoveries, and more. Check our blog each month for the latest round up. Four things we liked this month 1. Travel smart: Don’t leave travel vaccines to the last minute Toronto Star Planning a trip? There are important reasons not to leave vaccines to the last minute. Pharmacist Victor Wong explains: A lot of people don’t realize that not only do some of these vaccines take a few weeks to be effective, but they might be part of a multi-series of vaccines. It usually takes a minimum ...