As winter approaches and international travel increases, doctors are warning travellers about a range of hidden health risks that commonly emerge in cold-weather destinations. Medical experts have identified seven major diseases that frequently affect travellers during the winter season, urging the public to take prevention seriously before they travel.
These include:
According to physicians, the high prevalence of these illnesses in popular tourist destinations makes pre-travel prevention and proper preparation essential for a safe, healthy trip.
Doctors stressed six key steps every traveler should take before leaving the UAE:
Take the flu shot at least two weeks before travel for effective protection.
Ensure all vaccines—such as Tdap, meningitis (for Hajj/Umrah), shingles (50+), and pneumococcal (65+)—are up to date.
Include fever reducers, flu medicines, nasal saline sprays, allergy medication, medical patches, and a child-safe antipyretic.
Pack a sufficient supply for the entire trip plus extra days.
Choose destinations with reliable healthcare systems and know where the closest approved hospitals are.
Prioritize sleep, hydration, balanced meals, and regular moderate physical activity.
Doctors emphasized that precautions must start before travel—not after symptoms appear.
Medical experts highlighted urgent symptoms that require immediate medical attention during travel:
Ignoring these signs, especially in cold climates, can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, severe sinus infections, or respiratory distress.
Doctors noted several common behaviors that significantly raise the risk of winter illnesses:
They strongly advised visiting travel clinics across the UAE for accurate medical advice, required vaccinations, and preventive medications like malaria tablets for specific destinations.
Dr. Othman explained that sudden shifts from the UAE’s warm weather to freezing temperatures abroad can temporarily weaken immunity. This makes travellers—especially children and the elderly—more vulnerable to:
She also cited real cases of travelers returning with severe influenza, sinusitis, and exhaustion due to drastic climate changes.
Dr. Al-Assaf highlighted respiratory risks during winter travel, including:
He recommends:
He noted multiple cases of travelers experiencing:
Dr. Lasfar emphasized the importance of recognizing emergency symptoms during travel. She also outlined frequent traveler mistakes such as:
She recommends every traveller prepares a winter travel medical bag with:
• Fever reducers • Flu medicines • Saline sprays • Sanitizers • Allergy medication • Patches • Child-safe fever reducer • Chronic disease medications
She has treated travellers returning with:
Doctors across specialities agree: preventive healthcare is the key to safe, enjoyable winter travel. With proper vaccinations, preparation, and awareness of warning signs, travellers can significantly reduce their risk of illness and complications abroad.
For expert travel health consultations, vaccinations, and advice, visit your nearest Fakeeh Medicentres or Fakeeh University Hospital before travelling.
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