How To Avoid Getting Sick During Your Trip To Kenya

There is nothing that bums a vacation like getting sick. You are sometimes forced to watch your company have all the fun when you are stuck under a blanket nursing flu. Although this is not a 100% full proof plan, we have some tips on how to stay as healthy as possible during your trip so that you can seize every amazing moment. Below are some of these tips:

Get Prior Vaccination

Most embassies require travellers to get some shots before travelling to Africa. This is not because Africa is a sea of disease as most foreigners portray it, but because most of the viruses and bacteria prevalent in Africa are absent in other areas and vice versa. Two main vaccines to get are Flu shots and Yellow Fever shots. Vaccination requirements, however, differ from country to country.

Carry Your Medicine

If you use any medicine, make sure to carry enough supply for your trip here. You may decide to come and buy them here but you might miss the exact kind you need. Getting enough supply from home is the safest and best bet.

Take Preventative Medicine

Aside from your normal prescription, also take and carry preventative drugs. Taking a dose of antimalarial medicine before visiting Kenya does a great deal in keeping you safe from contracting the disease. Having anti-mosquito sprays and creams is always an added advantage but some bugs can be stubborn and antimalarial medicine may be their answer.

Avoid Potentially Allergic Activities

You most likely already know the things, foods or activities that do not sit well with your system. For this reason, avoid as much as you can anything that can harm your wellbeing. Ask for the presence of allergens in foods or drinks. Be sure to carry your eye or nose drops when going to dry areas and dress warmly when the weather demands it. Although our cold seasons are nothing compared to winters, you still need to take care because the flu virus and other bacteria thrive in these temperatures.

Drink Distilled Water instead of Tap Water

The problem with tap water is that you cannot fully trust the source. Some of these sources may be untreated thus supplying contaminated water. The piping systems in most facilities are old and rusty and this can lead to food poisoning. To avoid this possibility, try to buy distilled or mineral water from any shop or supermarket near you. Buy in bulk to save on costs and plastic waste.

Wear flip-flops in common bathrooms

If you are staying in a hostel with shared bathrooms, do not enter the bathroom barefoot. The hostel may have a sanitation team that keeps the place clean but they cannot possibly wash up after each shower. Therefore, fungal, bacterial and other infections are bound to spread through leeway such as bare feet. Always have flip-flops to avoid getting sick.

Cover toilet seat before use

This should be the rule no matter which country you are in. As long as you are using a public restroom, always make a temporary toilet seat with toilet paper or paper towels before using. This will create a temporary barrier between you and possible germs. Dispose of the temporary seat after use.

Sanitize as often as possible

It is not possible to beat all the germs in the world as you are bound to hold doors, shake hands, wipe sweat from your forehead and block a sneeze every so often in a day. So carry a sanitizer in your bag and use it before and after a meal, before going to bed or sitting down to rest. This way, you will be stopping germs in their tracks. And you will be able to enjoy a sickness-free time in Kenya.