Public Health Madison & Dane County

Four Tips Before You Head on Spring Break

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Spring break is just around the corner! If you're planning to travel, we have four things to keep in mind:

Check your vaccination status

Be sure you're up to date on routine vaccinations, ideally 2-4 weeks before a trip, since your body may need up to two weeks to build immunity for some vaccines. Many diseases prevented by routine vaccination are no longer common here but may be common in other places.

Many US states and numerous countries around the world are experiencing a measles outbreak. CDC recommends all international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Our measles webpage, which has details about vaccination and instructions for checking your immunization record, is also a great resource.  

Read CDC's travel advisories

CDC has a neat travel advisory tool for international travel: you enter in the places where you're traveling, and it'll tell you health-related advice specific to that place. As we mentioned above, be sure to check it out at least a couple weeks before your trip. This way you have time to make an appointment at a travel clinic and get any recommended vaccines or other preventative care before your trip.

A packed suitcase

Pack insect repellent, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and other essentials

Dengue, which is spread by mosquitoes, is a common disease in many countries around the world and more often seen in tropical climates. Anyone who lives in or travels to an area with risk of dengue is at risk for infection. Several countries are experiencing outbreaks of chikungunya, another virus spread by mosquitoes. 

Prevention is key! There are lots of vectorborne diseases and wearing the right clothing and repellent helps protect you. CDC outlines what to look for in a repellent and the EPA offers a search tool to find the repellent that is right for you. The state health department has more on preventing mosquito bites. We’d be remiss not to mention packing sunscreen and hand sanitizer too! 

Check out the CDC's traveler checklist for more things to pack to help you stay safe and healthy. 

Monitor your health when you return

Once you're back from your trip, keep an eye on your health. If you get sick from a mosquito bite, symptoms may appear up to 2 weeks afterwards. Like with other illnesses, stay home when you're sick. If you need to contact your doctor, be sure to tell them about your travel. 

Have a safe and healthy trip! 

This content is free for use with credit to Public Health Madison & Dane County .

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