A Health-Safe Destination Starts with Strong Public Health
When travelers think about whether a destination is safe, they may consider crime, weather, transportation or political conditions. But health safety is another important part of what makes a destination safe. The WHO explains that health risks during travel depend on not only the destination, but the traveler as well. Health safety can include infectious diseases, food and water safety, sanitation and hygiene, environmental conditions, access to healthcare, temperature and humidity, and a number of other factors. A health-safe destination is one where health risks are understood, monitored, communicated, managed, and where travelers have access to the information and tools they need to protect themselves.1
So what does that look like in practice? In the Caribbean, creating a health-safe destination requires much more than treating illnesses after they occur. It requires existing systems designed to identify risks early, prevent problems before they occur, and respond when health threats emerge.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has established its Regional Tourism and Health Program for improving regional health security and sustainable tourism throughout the Caribbean. This multisectoral program addresses health, safety and environmental sanitation threats to tourism, with the goal of strengthening Caribbean countries’ ability to prepare for and respond to public health threats. By aiming to improve the health and safety of both visitors and locals, CARPHA is promoting regional health security and the quality, reputation and sustainability of Caribbean tourism.2
CARPHA’s Tourism and Health Information System (THiS) is a real time early warning and response program designed with integrated training, surveillance, monitoring and response standards for health and tourism agencies.2 Together, these programs showcase some of the systems a health-safe destination needs to have in place in order to protect locals and promote safe tourism:
- Disease surveillance: identifying potential health threats as they emerge.
- Early warning: recognizing developing problems before they become larger outbreaks.
- Preparedness and response: having plans and trained people ready to act.
- Food safety: reducing illness associated with food.
- Environmental sanitation: maintaining healthy tourism and local environments.
- Communication: ensuring relevant health information reaches travelers, tourism businesses, and health authorities.
- Coordination between tourism and public health: because health threats don’t respect industry or national boundaries.
“A destination is only as attractive as it is safe. Health security, then, is not an add-on to tourism. It is one of its foundational pillars.” -Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Director General Didacus Jules3
Destination safety is a system, not a single product or precaution, and that system protects residents and visitors together. But even the strongest public-health system cannot eliminate every health risk a traveler may encounter. Destination health systems create the foundation for safety; travelers still have an important role to play in protecting themselves. So, what can travelers actually do to make informed decisions and reduce their own health risks?
What Can Travelers Look For in a Health-Safe Destination?
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Look for Credible Health Information
Before traveling to a specific destination, look beyond general travel blogs and social media posts. The WHO recommends that travelers gather information about potential health risks early in the planning process and understand how to avoid or minimize those risks1. Travelers shouldn’t approach health risks with fear; they should approach them with preparation. Check destinations for:
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- Destination-specific health advisories
- Public-health agencies
- Vaccination recommendations
- Current disease risks
- Recommended preventive measures
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Look for Health and Sanitation Standards
Tourism and health programs for your travel destination, like the one set by CARPHA, should include health, safety and environmental sanitation standards for the hospitality industry. Health safety doesn’t stop at the airport or a country’s border; it continues into hotels, restaurants, attractions, cruise ships, and other places where travelers spend time. Travelers should pay attention to whether accommodations and tourism businesses demonstrate attention to:
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- Food safety
- Sanitation
- Environmental cleanliness
- Disease prevention efforts
- Health and safety procedures
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Look for Access to Healthcare
A health-safe and prepared destination recognizes that illnesses can happen and has systems to respond. The WHO specifically identifies access to health and dental care services and products as one of the factors that can influence health risks during travel1. Travelers should know:
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- Where they can seek medical care
- How they would access healthcare if they became ill
- To seek medical care and notify health authorities if they do become ill
- What health services are available at their destination
- To contact their health insurance provider to confirm whether your coverage extends to your destination and understand what options are available if medical care is needed abroad
- Whether they need travel insurance or other preparation
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Look Up Destination-Specific Environmental and Infectious Disease Risks
Travel health risks can depend on destination-specific factors including climate, infectious diseases, food and water, sanitation and environmental conditions1. For travelers heading to tropical destinations, like those found throughout the Caribbean, mosquito-borne illness is one health consideration that shouldn’t be overlooked. Mosquitoes in the Caribbean have the potential to transmit diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and Zika. The CDC specifically identifies mosquito-borne diseases as an important consideration for travelers and recommends:
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- Planning ahead: know when and where you could encounter mosquitoes
- Packing or purchasing appropriate insect repellent
- Wearing protective clothing when appropriate
- Consider accommodations with screens, air conditioning, or mosquito nets4
The CDC states that “vector-borne diseases are found at almost every travel destination”. And because few vaccines are available for most vector-borne diseases, avoiding bites is one of the best ways travelers can protect themselves.4 By taking simple steps to prevent mosquito bites, travelers can reduce their risk while enjoying their chosen destination, and contribute to a healthier travel environment for themselves and those around them.
Travelers Are Part of the Health-Safety Equation
A destination can have excellent health surveillance, sanitation, and healthcare systems, but individual behavior is an important factor for maintaining the health of that destination. Travelers can follow destination-specific health guidance, use appropriate insect repellent, follow food and water precautions, seek medical care if they become ill, and follow instructions on preventive products. Health safety isn’t something a destination simply gives you; travelers need to participate in health safety.
For travelers visiting the Caribbean, insect repellent can be one simple addition to a broader travel-health routine. IMPEDE was designed to make that protection comfortable and convenient enough to fit naturally into Caribbean travel and everyday outdoor life. IMPEDE uses the effective insect-repellent active ingredient IR3535®, recognized by the CDC as a safe and effective repellent active ingredient option for mosquito protection. The DEET-free product of IMPEDE is also formulated with a patented controlled-release technology, STAYTEC™, that helps retain the active ingredient on the skin surface and gradually release the active ingredient over time. IMPEDE has demonstrated up to 14 hours of protection in testing, providing long-lasting protection against biting insect such as mosquitoes.
The lotion-based formula of IMPEDE was designed specifically for the Caribbean’s warm and active outdoor environment. IMPEDE is odorless, quick-drying, and leaves no greasy residue. This sweat- and water-resistant insect repellent can also be combined with sunscreen, making it easy to incorporate into a variety of outdoor Caribbean activities. The family-friendly IMPEDE formulation is suitable for use for children as young as 2 months old, as well as pregnant women and those with sensitive skin. Combining the easy-to-use features with its long-lasting and all-day protection, IMPEDE is a premium option for Caribbean travelers to incorporate into their everyday routines and consistently protect themselves from mosquito bites. Insect repellent is not a replacement for public-health systems, medical care, or other travel precautions. Instead, insect repellent is one simple tool travelers can use to take an active role in protecting their own health.
Preventing mosquito bites won’t make a destination safe on its own. But it is one practical step travelers can take as part of a broader approach to travel health. A safe travel destination is a place where risks are monitored, health systems are prepared, information is available, tourism businesses participate, and travelers know how to protect themselves. Travel prepared. Protect Yourself. Enjoy the Caribbean with confidence. Make mosquito protection one simple part of your travel-health routine with IMPEDE. Tough on bugs, gentle on you.
- https://www.who.int/health-topics/travel-and-health#tab=tab_1
- https://carpha.org/THP/Background
- https://www.carpha.org/More/Media/Articles/ArticleID/1181/CARPHA-and-the-OECS-Renew-Partnership-to-Strengthen-Travellers%E2%80%99-Health-for-a-More-Resilient-Economically-Sustainable-Eastern-Caribbean
- https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/prevention/preventing-mosquito-bites-while-traveling.html