Malaria Prevention for Travellers

19 items · Travel · Medium difficulty · 30 min

Simple steps to reduce your malaria risk while traveling.

• Check malaria risk for each destination

  Verify current risk areas and seasonal patterns before you go.

• Book a pre-travel health appointment

  See a travel clinic or your doctor well before departure.

• Get a malaria prescription and tailored advice

  Ask which medicine suits your health, age, and travel plans.

• Start antimalarial medication as your provider instructs

  Begin the schedule your clinician prescribes and follow it closely.

• Pack the full course of antimalarial tablets plus extras

  Bring enough for the trip and a few extra days in case of delays.

• Bring an EPA-registered insect repellent with DEET or picaridin
• Apply repellent to exposed skin before going outside

  Follow the product label for safe use and age limits.

• Reapply repellent after swimming or heavy sweating

  Stick to reapplication intervals printed on the label.

• Wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks at dusk and dawn

  Choose loose, light-colored clothing to reduce mosquito bites.

• Use permethrin-treated clothing or treat gear if available

  Buy pre-treated items or treat clothing before travel if appropriate.

• Sleep under an insecticide-treated bed net in unscreened areas

  Use the net every night when windows or doors aren’t screened.

• Inspect bed net for holes and tuck edges under the mattress

  Check the net nightly and repair or replace damaged nets.

• Choose lodging with window screens or air-conditioning

  Prefer rooms that limit mosquito entry when available.

• Limit outdoor activity during peak mosquito hours (dusk to dawn)
• Use indoor mosquito control devices safely (coils, vaporizers)

  Follow instructions and ventilate spaces as recommended.

• Carry copies of prescriptions and your clinician's contact info

  Keep paper and digital copies in case you need care away from home.

• Monitor your health daily for fever or flu-like symptoms

  Take your temperature and note any unusual signs while away.

• Seek urgent medical attention if you develop fever during or after travel

  Tell clinicians about recent travel to a malaria area right away.

• Save local emergency numbers and the nearest clinic/hospital addresses

  Store contacts in your phone and on paper in case of no signal.

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