Post Covid Travel: What does it mean for you

With fully vaccinated UK residents will no longer needing to quarantine if they arrive in England from an amber listed destination, it’s apparent that many people still have heightened worries about their health when it comes to summer travel.

Research published by medical ID charity, MedicAlert, has revealed that following the pandemic, 77% are anxious about the loosening of lockdown restrictions this summer, with nearly a third (31%) having concerns about their health when it comes to holidaying this year.

It’s unsurprising that many people aren’t rushing to book a holiday straight away, especially given we have been in a state of lockdown for a prolonged period of time with the nation slowly integrating back into society. This is even more true for those with underlying medical conditions who have to consider their health more closely when on holiday.

A quarter of those polled with underlying conditions (24%) are worried that they wouldn’t get the right medical treatment in an emergency, while 18% say they believe there will be a lack of access to their medical information when being abroad or away from their usual doctors and healthcare support.

Some may feel the chances of an accident happening on holiday are low, however for Sarah Thompson, a 33-year-old woman who has lived with a complex congenital heart disease since childhood and has a host of other medical conditions – this was her reality.

Sarah’s condition means that, without warning, her heart rate can increase rapidly and become dangerously high, going from normal to 170bpm in a second – putting her at risk of cardiac arrest or a stroke.

Whilst on holiday in Corfu, Sarah’s heart started to race during the middle of the night. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but neither she nor her husband spoke the local language and none of the staff spoke any English – she wasn’t able to communicate the complexity of her health conditions which, at this point, were life-threatening!

Petrified and in fear for her life, Sarah was extremely distressed and wasn’t sure how she would be able to reduce her heart rate to normal if the doctors weren’t aware of her medical history.

Fortunately, Sarah was wearing her MedicAlert ID bracelet, engraved with her heart condition and pointing towards their emergency line. The charity’s helpline is available in over 100 languages and so MedicAlert were able to communicate Sarah’s medical information to the Greek medical staff, meaning they could give the right treatment and save her life.

Holidays are, of course, supposed to be a welcome break from the stress and strain of work and life but for many people, particularly thanks to the ongoing pandemic, travel and anxiety go hand in hand. This has been exacerbated due to the heightened awareness of our own health status as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Kirsten Giles, CEO at MedicAlert, comments; “We all need to be able to take the opportunity to book a holiday and relax and unwind after a challenging year, but make sure to do this safely and put your health first.

“For those living with medical conditions who are seeking additional safety and peace of mind in advance of a holiday, MedicAlert provides the UKs only full medical ID service. This provides access to your vital medical information in an emergency – keeping you safe wherever you travel in the world.”