Make sure your summer first aid kit is packed first
Dr Tania Cork, chief operating officer of Community Pharmacy Derbyshire, has some tips this week for keeping safe on holiday
SUMMER has definitely arrived and whether you’re planning to get away or are staying closer to home, this month we are looking at how to keep safe and healthy as the temperatures rise.
Whatever the weather and wherever you’re heading, it’s a good idea to have a few first aid essentials with you to handle minor illnesses or injuries. A basic first aid kit should contain:
● Plasters in a variety of shapes and sizes, plus blister plasters
● Small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings
● At least two sterile eye dressings
● Bandages and safety pins
● Disposable sterile gloves
● Tweezers
● Scissors
● Alcohol-free cleansing wipes
● Thermometer
● Cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings
● Antiseptic cream
● Painkillers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen (plus children’s versions) or aspirin (not for people under 16)
● Antihistamine cream or tablets
● Distilled water for cleaning wounds ● Eye wash and eye bath
● Aloe vera gel for minor burns
You may also want to include a first aid manual or quick reference card and check the sell-by-dates on all your medicines. If you are travelling by car over the summer, take a small first aid kit in your car to deal with any minor scrapes, bruises or insect bites and stings.
Carrying drinking water, especially on hot days, helps avoid dehydration – children, babies and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to this over summer.
If you are travelling abroad, tailor your first aid kit to your own holiday plans and consider the type of travel, destination, duration of the trip and any existing health conditions you have.
Tweezers and scissors should always be packed in hold baggage and not in hand luggage.
Wherever you are heading – the UK or abroad – make sure you have an adequate supply of medication to treat existing conditions, plus a bit extra in case you are delayed. Keep this in its original packaging – this also applies to any over-the-counter medications you carry.
Travel, unfamiliar diet and change in routine can upset your stomach. A supply of mild laxatives for treating constipation and antacids for treating indigestion can be useful, as can medication to manage diarrhoea; oral rehydration salts for hydration, anti-diarrhoeal agents for symptom management of mild and moderate diarrhoea.
And finally, don’t forget to take sunscreen. Go for a sunscreen that has:
● A sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to protect against UVB
● At least 4-star UVA protection
● And don’t forget to check the expiry date of any you have in the cupboard – this can also go out of date. Whether you are in the UK or foreign climes, stay out of the sun between 11am and 2pm when it’s at its hottest, wear sunglasses and a hat and cover up with suitable clothing to avoid sunburn. Children burn very easily and so keep them out of the sun as much as possible on hot days, and keep babies out of the sun at all times.
For help, advice and guidance on all things summer and travel health, talk to your local community pharmacy team. You can also get more information about healthcare when travelling abroad at: https:// www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.