Agents major source of health advice
More than one in ten travellers asks their travel agent for travel health advice.
This is according to research unveiled by GlaxoSmithKline Travel Health.
The company revealed figures that suggest 12% of travellers ask agents about precautions when travelling to high risk malaria countries, compared to 13% who go to pharmacists.
But according to ABTA spokeswoman, Frances Tuke, agents should be wary about handing out advice.“Travellers should always then be directed to their GP, practice nurse or pharmacist for specialist advice. It is in everyone’s best interests to ensure holidaymakers seek travel health advice prior to travelling to countries with a high risk of malaria.”
According to figures released by GlaxoSmithKline, 21% of travellers take no precautions to protect themselves against malaria,with 43% of these travellers mistakenly believing they didn’t need to take precautions against the disease – 24% believing that staying in four or five star hotels would mean they would be unlikely to contract malaria.
The company is sponsoring Malaria Awareness Week, which runs next week, on May 16-22.
The campaign, supported by ABTA, aims to raise awareness of the disease, which killed 16 people in the UK in 2003, double the number killed by the disease in 2002.
The campaign culminates in an exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London on May 15-18, which gives people information about the disease and how to avoid it.
Report by Ginny McGrath
Ginny McGrath
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