Protecting you on your travels
Many of us take unnecessary risks when we travel. Statistics reveal that only 4/10 travellers leaving the UK seek professional travel health advice before departing the country. That means millions of people making themselves vulnerable in foreign countries every year.
Our Travel Health Clinic is a vital service which will protect you, your family, friends, and community.
Travel vaccinations & certificates
Getting vaccinated can help prevent you from getting ill if you’re exposed to diseases which we don’t normally have in the UK. We can help you understand how to keep your risks low of getting a disease while abroad, and help you work out which vaccinations and antimalarials you may want to consider, depending on things like:
- Which regions you’ll be visiting
- What activities you’ll be doing
- Your age and general health
Some travel vaccinations may be needed several weeks before departure. Ideally you should see us six to eight weeks before travelling, but we may still be able to help if you’re leaving sooner.
We offer comprehensive travel vaccinations available which is suitable for adults and children aged two and over. If you need antimalarials, our pharmacist can offer you them as part of this service if they’re suitable.
Covid-19 PCR Testing
As a Official UK Government provider, we offer Gold Standard in Diagnostic Testing. You can get COVID-19 PCR fit to fly tested by one of our medical professionals, at your nearest available clinic, at a date and time that suits you. We also have COVID-19 PCR Home Test Kits available, which you can easily purchase on-line or click and collect.
Advice & travel essentials
It's essential that you speak to one of our Health Plus Pharmacist, who can guide you through everything that you will need to do, in order to make your trip as easy and pain free as possible.
It's especially important to get advice before you travel if you’re at higher risk of getting seriously ill from malaria.
Health Plus Pharmacy make travel vaccinations & health advice convenient and accessible for all the community in Cardiff and Pontypool. Book an appointment with your local Health Plus Pharmacist to keep you safe.
Services we offer
Travel vaccinations & Certificates
DTP (Diphtheria, Tetanus & Polio) vaccination
Japanese encephalitis vaccination
ADVICE & TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Altitude sickness
Anti-malarial tablets
Comprehensive travel vaccinations & certificates
Insect repellents
Jet lag
Period delay
Water purification
Protecting yourself from Malaria
Malaria is a serious infection spread by mosquitoes. If it’s not diagnosed and treated quickly, you can die from it.
Malaria is caused by being bitten by an infected mosquito. It can take just 1 bite to get it.
The infection is very common in certain parts of the world.
It’s found in tropical regions, including:
- large areas of Africa and Asia
- Central and South America
- Dominican Republic and Haiti
- parts of the Middle East
- some Pacific islands
Malaria is not found in the UK and you cannot catch it from another person.
Check before you travel
It’s important to check the malaria risk for the country you’re travelling to before you go.
You’re still at risk of getting malaria if you now live in the UK but were born or used to live in a high-risk country. You will not be immune to malaria anymore.
Find out more about the risk of malaria in specific countries on the Travel Health Pro website.
How to avoid malaria
If you’re travelling to an area where malaria is found, get advice from your local Health Plus Pharmacists before you go.
It’s best to do this at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel, but you can still get advice at the last minute if you need to.
You may be prescribed antimalarial tablets to reduce the risk of getting malaria and told how you can prevent mosquito bites.
- take any antimalarial medicine you’re prescribed – you usually need to start taking it a few days or weeks before you go, until a few weeks after you get back
- use insect repellent on your skin – make sure it’s 50% DEET-based
- sleep under mosquito nets treated with insecticide
- wear long-sleeved clothing and trousers to cover your arms and legs in the evening, when mosquitos are most active
Who’s most at risk
It’s especially important to get advice before you travel if you’re at higher risk of getting seriously ill from malaria.
This includes:
- if you’re pregnant
- young children
- people aged over 65
- if you have a weak immune system
- if you have no spleen
You may be prescribed antimalarial medicine even if you’re travelling to a low-risk area.
Symptoms of malaria
Malaria can be hard to spot, but symptoms include:
- a high temperature, sweats and chills
- headaches and feeling confused
- feeling very tired and sleepy (especially in children)
- feeling and being sick, tummy pain and diarrhoea
- loss of appetite
- muscle pains
- yellow skin or whites of the eyes
- a sore throat, cough and difficulty breathing
These symptoms usually appear between 7 and 18 days after you’ve been bitten by an infected mosquito.
But sometimes you may not have symptoms for months after travel, and rarely years.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment
or get help from NHS 111 if:
- you have travelled to a country where malaria is found and have malaria symptoms
You should also tell anyone you travelled with to get help straight away.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
Get medical advice quickly if you have malaria symptoms while you’re travelling.
Treatments for malaria
Malaria is an emergency and needs to be treated quickly.
It’s treated with antimalarial medicines. Some people will stay in hospital to have specialist care and treatment.
Malaria can sometimes come back and will need to be treated again if this happens.