FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, February 27, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. | Windsor and Essex County
As families prepare for March Break travel, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) strongly advises everyone to ensure they are up to date with all their vaccinations prior to traveling. Individuals who are not fully vaccinated are at higher risk of getting vaccine-preventable infectious diseases while traveling.
“Prevention starts with information and preparation” advises Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, the Medical Officer of Health for the WECHU. It’s best to consult with a health care provider in advance of an international trip, especially to ensure you are up to date with your vaccinations and to obtain travel-specific advice. Vaccinations should ideally be given at least two weeks before departure. For more information on immunizations, please visit: https://www.wechu.org/your-health/immunization.
Additionally, the most common illness among travelers is caused by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated beverages. Remember to take the following safety measures:
- Only eat foods that are well cooked and served hot.
- Boil it, cook it, peel it or leave it.
- When unsure if local water is safe to drink, drink water from sealed bottles.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
For more health and travel-related information such as destination travel advisories, food and water safety tips when abroad, and what to include in a travel health kit, rely on trusted resources such as the Government of Canada’s Travel Health portal.
Upon your return to Canada, if you start feeling unwell, please stay at home and call a health care professional. Describe your symptoms and mention the countries you visited so they can prepare for your arrival and prevent the spread of any infectious diseases.