Staying healthy on a gap year or career break

Staying healthy on a gap year is all about being properly prepared. Any precautions your child takes will obviously depend on the areas they are visiting. Someone who is backpacking round the world will need to take more precautions than a person whose gap year is just being spent working abroad in Australia or New Zealand.

The first point of call for your child before they travel should be their GP. GPs will have the latest information on necessary medication a region. It's important for your child to visit his or her GP well in advance of their gap year departure date, as some vaccinations have to be taken a week or more in advance of travel (and also may not be permanently in stock). 

Another useful source of gap year health information is the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, (tel: 09061 337733), which offers the most up-to-the-minute protection advice.


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