The summer holidays are here and for the lucky ones the preparations for the suitcase can begin. Sprains, sunburn, ticks… However, small sores can quickly spoil the holidays. If everything cannot be avoided, some inconveniences can be anticipated thanks to a well-prepared first-aid kit.
• The essentials
As at home during the year, on vacation, a series of small messes quickly arrived. Thus, it is important not to forget to take the usual medications such as paracetamol or throat lozenges.
“This is especially true for people without children, who sometimes do not have these medicines at home,” Patrick Bastos, director of the French Red Cross volunteer training center, told BFMTV.com.
According to the specialist, to be ready to deal with minor ailments, you should also have compresses, bandages to ward off infection, and antiseptic in your first aid kit.
• For sports holidays
Patrick Bastos also mentions some less common but no less useful utensils. “It can be good to have a scarf, especially for children, for example to be able to immobilize the arm in case of a fall”, he explains.
If you are going to take the car with you on vacation, survival coverage can be useful. “We often think of it for the cold, but it also protects from the heat,” recalls Patrick Bastos.
In case of minor injuries, the scissors to cut the compresses or the pliers to remove the splinters can also find their place in the first aid kit of the vacationers.
For sports trips you can take more important equipment such as compression bandages for larger wounds or cold packs for sprains or other trauma. It is also advisable to take a look at the websites of the sports federations that you are going to practice, which are generally full of practical recommendations.
• Protect yourself from the sun and insects
“You have to adapt your kit depending on where you’re going,” adds Patrick Bastos. In fact, summer can come with its share of drawbacks. First of all, for a holiday in the sun, you have to think about sun protection and in case of sunburn, opt for a soothing cream.
In the same way, repellents, calming creams or even mosquito nets can be very useful to protect yourself from insects and other pests. As for ticks, which can cause serious pathologies, it is better to be equipped with special tweezers to remove them, so as not to get the head under the skin. Finally, in case of allergies to various bites, consider antihistamines.
• Abroad
When traveling abroad, preparation in advance is even more important. “There is a real job to do beforehand”, Patrick Bastos abounds in this sense. You must first find out on the website of the embassy or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the health instructions to follow, for example, controlling your vaccinations.
“We can also register with these organizations, it only takes a few minutes, and verify our health insurance conditions abroad,” continues Patrick Bastos.
As for the usual medicines and treatments, remember to take enough doses, and even a few more days in case of a plane delay, for example, “so you don’t find yourself in the water”.
In conclusion, the Red Cross trainer also invites training in first aid gestures “especially in vacation spots”, where this type of operation is organized, even for children. “We may have a good first aid kit, but that doesn’t mean we can intervene,” he explains.
Source: BFM TV
