subject: The Summer Holiday Season And Illness [print this page] For the vast majority of people, the summer holiday season is a joyous, relaxing and increasingly exotic experience. Some become ill and see little more than the inside of a toilet, or even worse, a hospital. So long as you have booked a package holiday, holiday makers have the protection of the Package Travel Regulations should anything go wrong.
One particular problem faced by holiday makers is food poisoning and other illness. Bacteria, viruses and other microbes find perfect breeding grounds where many people are close together such as in a hotel or onboard a cruise ship, particularly where hygiene is not up to scratch.
Illnesses, such Norovirus, Salmonella, Campylobacter, e.coli and shigella, or Legionnaires' disease can be picked up from an unclean water supply, or by consuming contaminated food or drink. They can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, dysentery or worse and completely ruin a family's holiday. In more serious cases, hospital treatment may be required. Complications can also come after the infection. We have seen cases of clients developing Irritable Bowell Syndrome and reactive arthritis following illness contracted abroad. These illnesses are completely avoidable if the hotel follows basic hygiene rules. Here are some tips to help ensure you do not end with a nasty illness:
Always ensure hot food is piping hot.
Check that chilled food is cold. Cold meats, cheeses, dips and sauces are perfect breeding grounds for bacteria if not correctly chilled or left out for too long.
Birds, cats and dogs roaming the resort can carry all sorts of nasty infections, and certainly should not be allowed near the food preparation areas.
Very often, the only safe water is from a sealed bottle. Ice cubes may need to have been made with boiled or bottled water.
If something is undercooked or tastes wrong, stop eating it and let the restaurant staff know.
Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after using the bathroom and before you eat. Carry some hand sanitizer gel for when you go to eat if not provided at the hotel buffet.
Take it easy. You're on holiday try to enjoy yourself.
If you do become ill then make sure:
You drink plenty of water so that you do not become dehydrated.
The illness is reported to the hotel and your tour representative and ask for a copy of the report.
You are treated by a doctor.
You keep all paperwork provided.
If the food is of poor quality or hygiene standards are lower than you would expect, take photographs.
On your return home, ensure that a stool or blood sample is taken.
Hopefully these tips will ensure that you have a worry free and illness free holiday.
The Summer Holiday Season And Illness
By: Daniel Scognamiglio
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