Travel first-aid kit: What should not be missing?

The purpose of a first-aid kit

A first-aid kit is designed to ensure you are well equipped in the event of minor health complaints and injuries during your vacation. In many countries, there is also the risk that certain medicines are not available locally and that the quality of the medicine is not guaranteed. This often has its origins in cheaply produced counterfeits. The potential language barrier when reading the package leaflet or the obstacles that arise before purchase - “what is it called in ...?” - speak in favor of taking care of your personal first-aid kit in advance.     

However, in the event of serious injuries, infections or symptoms of illness, the first-aid kit alone is not sufficient and a doctor or hospital should be consulted immediately.

What should be in your travel first-aid kit? A perfect checklist

The combination of medicines to take with you when traveling depends on various factors: Vacation destination, type of vacation (hiking trip, city trip, beach or diving vacation) as well as the healthcare system there. 

No travel first-aid kit should be without it:

• Painkillers, antipyretics
• Medication for motion sickness (travel sickness, vomiting & traveler's diarrhea)
• Insect spray and protection against ticks, mosquitoes etc.
• Sunscreen & skin care for after sunbathing (after sun)
  Find out more in the article “Sun cream: what you should look out for”
• Pharmaceuticals for stomach complaints: Digestion and heartburn
• Decongestant nasal spray
• Medication for colds, sore throats, sniffles and coughs
• Medicine for sunburn & insect bites
• Eye drops and eye ointment
• Disinfectants & cleaning sprays
• Wound & healing ointment, including sprays
• Medication for stomach cramps and menstrual cramps
• Clinical thermometer, (tick) tweezers, scissors & disposable gloves
• Dressing material: elastic bandages, gauze bandages, adhesive plaster, Quick wound dressings, sterile wound compresses, bandages for burns & blister plasters
• Possibly compression stockings (for air travel)
• Earplugs

Your first-aid kit can be individually modified or expanded to suit your circumstances and vacation preferences. Sports enthusiasts are advised to pack an ointment for strains and cooling compresses. Divers and snorkelers should not do without ear drops. And anyone traveling with children should of course adapt their first-aid kit to their needs.

Our APO24 tips:

• Only bring medication you already know and tolerate
• Pay attention to the storage of medicines; more on this in our article “Expired medication & shelf life of medicines”.
• When traveling abroad, different regulations may apply regarding take-along medicines. You should clarify in advance with your doctor or pharmacist what you are allowed to take with you and whether you need a prescription.  
• It is essential to add everyday medicines (contraceptives such as the pill, medicines that must be taken permanently or help against allergies) to your first-aid kit
• Always pack medicines for daily use in your hand luggage when traveling by air (note: observe regulations regarding liquids!)  

In addition to the ideal first-aid kit, you should not forget your vaccination card, insurance card or health insurance details. Once you have packed the most important things, nothing stands in the way of a relaxing and hopefully healthy trip! If you are missing any medication before you start your journey, you can find the current opening hours and on-call services of Austrian pharmacies on APO24.  

Your APO24 team