Travelling to visit family or friends abroad can be one of the most meaningful types of international travel.

You get to reconnect with people you love, experience the places they call home, enjoy local food, explore beyond the usual tourist stops and, hopefully, make a few memories along the way.

But there is one part of visiting friends and relatives that Canadians sometimes overlook: travel health planning.

When you’re visiting family overseas, you may not be travelling like a typical tourist. You could be staying in a family home, spending extended time in local communities, travelling to rural areas or eating foods and drinking water that your body isn’t accustomed to.

That can mean different health considerations from a short resort holiday.

At Virtual Travel Clinic, Canadian travellers can meet virtually with a trained Travel Medicine Professional to review their itinerary, discuss destination-specific health risks, receive vaccine recommendations and access prescriptions when medically appropriate.

What Does “Visiting Friends and Relatives” Mean?

In travel medicine, VFR stands for Visiting Friends and Relatives.

These travellers may be returning to a country where they were born, visiting relatives who live overseas or travelling to spend time with friends abroad.

VFR travel can look very different from a traditional vacation.

You might be:

• Staying with relatives instead of at a hotel
• Spending several weeks or months abroad
• Travelling between cities or regions
• Visiting rural communities
• Spending more time in local neighbourhoods
• Eating meals prepared in private homes
• Participating in local celebrations or activities
• Travelling with children or older family members
• Visiting multiple destinations during one trip

None of these things are automatically unsafe.

They simply mean your travel health assessment should be based on what you are actually doing, rather than just the country listed on your plane ticket.

Why VFR Travellers May Have Different Health Risks

One of the biggest misconceptions about visiting family abroad is:

“I’ve been there before, so I know what to expect.”

Maybe you do.

But your health needs can still be different from previous trips.

Travel-related disease risks can vary by region, season, accommodation, activities and length of stay. Virtual Travel Clinic recommends that travel health advice be personalized according to your travel itinerary, medical history and planned activities.

For example, someone spending two weeks at an all-inclusive resort may have a very different exposure profile from someone spending six weeks with relatives in a rural community.

That’s why your itinerary matters just as much as your destination.

Staying With Family Can Change Your Travel Health Plan

When you’re staying with relatives, you may have a more immersive travel experience.

That’s wonderful.

It can also mean more opportunities for everyday exposure to food, water, insects and local environments.

You may be:

• Eating home-cooked meals
• Drinking local water
• Spending time outdoors
• Visiting local markets
• Using local transportation
• Staying somewhere without screened windows or air conditioning
• Spending time around animals
• Travelling outside major cities

These experiences aren’t reasons to avoid travelling.

They’re reasons to prepare.

A Travel Medicine Professional can help identify which risks are relevant to your specific plans and provide practical advice for reducing them.

Travel Vaccines for VFR Travellers

There is no universal list of “VFR vaccines.”

Your recommendations depend on your destination and personal circumstances.

A travel medicine consultation can include a review of:

• Your travel destination
• Regions or cities you plan to visit
• Length of your stay
• Planned activities
• Accommodation
• Previous vaccinations
• Medical history
• Allergies
• Current medications

Virtual Travel Clinic offers travel vaccinations available in Canada and can provide recommendations based on your individual travel plans.

Vaccines That May Be Discussed

Depending on your destination and circumstances, your Travel Medicine Professional may discuss vaccines such as:

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A can spread through contaminated food and water.

This can be particularly relevant when travelling to areas where sanitation and water systems differ from what you’re accustomed to in Canada.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is transmitted through infected blood and bodily fluids.

Your risk may depend on factors such as your destination, length of stay and planned activities.

Typhoid

Typhoid fever is associated with contaminated food and water and can be a consideration for travellers visiting certain regions.

Measles

International travel is a good opportunity to review your routine immunizations and make sure you are appropriately protected.

Other Travel Vaccines

Depending on where you’re going, other vaccines may be considered, including yellow fever, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, meningococcal vaccines and polio.

The goal isn’t to give every traveller every vaccine.

It’s to determine which vaccines are appropriate for your trip.

What About Children Travelling to Visit Family?

VFR travel is often a family affair.

And travelling with children adds another important layer to your travel health planning.

Children may face the same travel-related health risks as adults, but some illnesses can have more serious consequences for younger travellers. Virtual Travel Clinic recommends travel medicine consultations for children travelling abroad because vaccination and medication recommendations can vary by destination and age.

There is also no minimum age for a travel medicine consultation.

Depending on the destination and individual circumstances, some travel vaccines can be administered to young children, while certain medications may also be considered for children travelling to areas where specific diseases are present.

Before your family trip, gather:

• Children’s vaccination records
• Current medications
• Allergy information
• Medical history
• Travel dates
• Destinations
• Planned activities

The more information your Travel Medicine Professional has, the more personalized your travel health recommendations can be.

Food and Water Safety When Visiting Family

Let’s talk about one of the biggest perks of VFR travel:

The food.

Grandma’s cooking? Absolutely.

Trying local dishes? Definitely.

Just be thoughtful about food and water safety.

Depending on your destination, contaminated food or water can cause illnesses such as traveller’s diarrhea, typhoid and other gastrointestinal infections.

A few simple habits can help:

Choose food that is thoroughly cooked.

Hot, freshly prepared food is generally a safer choice when foodborne illness is a concern.

Be careful with water.

If local tap water isn’t considered safe, choose bottled or appropriately treated water.

Think about ice.

Ice is only as safe as the water used to make it.

Wash your hands.

Especially before eating and after using the washroom.

Pack a backup plan.

A small travel health kit can be helpful if you develop an upset stomach or other minor illness while away.

Virtual Travel Clinic offers specialized traveller’s diarrhea consultations and can prescribe medications when medically appropriate.

Don’t Forget About Mosquitoes

If you’re visiting friends or relatives in a tropical or subtropical destination, mosquito bite prevention can be an important part of your travel health plan.

Mosquitoes can transmit diseases such as:

• Malaria
• Dengue
• Chikungunya
• Yellow fever
• Japanese encephalitis

Which diseases are relevant depends heavily on where you’re travelling.

Your mosquito protection checklist:

🦟 Use insect repellent.

👕 Cover exposed skin when practical.

🏠 Choose screened or air-conditioned accommodation where possible.

🛏️ Use appropriate bed nets where recommended.

💊 Ask whether malaria prevention medication is appropriate for your destination.

Virtual Travel Clinic offers specialized malaria consultations and can prescribe preventive medications when medically appropriate.

Malaria Prevention for VFR Travellers

Malaria deserves particular attention for some VFR travellers.

You may be more likely to spend extended periods in local communities or travel outside major cities, depending on your plans.

Malaria risk can also vary significantly between regions within the same country.

That means simply searching “Does Country X have malaria?” may not give you enough information.

Your Travel Medicine Professional can assess your specific itinerary and determine whether malaria prevention medication should be considered.

Virtual Travel Clinic offers malaria consultations covering preventive medications and resources for protecting travellers against mosquito-borne diseases.

What About Traveller’s Diarrhea?

It’s not exactly the family reunion topic anyone wants to bring up over dinner.

But it’s worth preparing for.

Traveller’s diarrhea is one of the most common health problems experienced abroad. It can be caused by consuming food or water contaminated with bacteria, viruses or parasites.

Symptoms can include:

• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever

The best first step is prevention.

Reduce your risk by:

• Washing your hands regularly
• Being cautious with drinking water
• Choosing food carefully
• Avoiding questionable food storage conditions
• Keeping hand sanitizer available

If you do become ill, staying hydrated is important.

For travellers who are concerned about traveller’s diarrhea, Virtual Travel Clinic offers a dedicated consultation to discuss prevention and treatment options.

Spending More Time Abroad? Plan for More Than a Vacation

VFR trips are often longer than traditional holidays.

Instead of seven days at a resort, you might be staying for several weeks or even months.

Longer stays can mean greater cumulative exposure to:

• Food and water
• Mosquitoes
• Local illnesses
• Animals
• Environmental conditions
• Local transportation
• Different healthcare systems

Your travel health plan should reflect that.

If you’re travelling to multiple cities or regions, make sure you mention all of them during your consultation.

Virtual Travel Clinic notes that health risks can differ even between regions within the same country, which is why comprehensive consultations take your specific destinations into account.

Visiting Your Home Country? You Still Need Travel Health Advice

For Canadians who were born elsewhere, visiting your country of birth can feel like going home.

But your current circumstances may be very different from when you lived there.

You may now:

• Live in Canada
• Have different vaccination coverage
• Have different levels of immunity
• Be travelling with children
• Be staying in different locations
• Be travelling during a different season
• Be spending more time in rural areas

Being familiar with a destination doesn’t necessarily mean you’re protected against its health risks.

Your travel health plan should reflect your current health and your current trip.

What Should VFR Travellers Pack?

A practical travel health kit can make life much easier when you’re far from home.

Keep prescription medications in their original packaging where possible and bring enough for your trip.

Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is an important part of international travel preparation.

Canadian provincial and territorial health plans may not cover the full cost of healthcare outside Canada.

Depending on your policy, travel insurance may help with unexpected medical expenses and other travel-related emergencies.

Before leaving, review your policy and understand:

• What medical expenses are covered
• Whether pre-existing conditions are covered
• Emergency evacuation coverage
• Trip interruption or cancellation coverage
• How to contact your insurer while abroad

A travel health consultation and travel insurance serve different purposes.

Ideally, you want both.

When Should VFR Travellers Book a Travel Health Consultation?

If possible, Virtual Travel Clinic recommends booking your travel medicine consultation 2 to 4 weeks before your trip.

This gives you time to:

• Review your vaccination history
• Identify recommended vaccines
• Complete multi-dose vaccine schedules when needed
• Discuss travel medications
• Review destination-specific risks
• Prepare for food and water risks
• Discuss mosquito protection
• Ask questions about your itinerary

Travelling sooner?

Don’t automatically skip your consultation.

Virtual Travel Clinic can customize recommendations based on the amount of time you have before departure.

Even a last-minute travel health assessment can help you make informed decisions before you leave.

A Simple VFR Travel Health Checklist

Before heading to the airport, run through this list:

☐ Confirm all destinations and regions you’ll visit

☐ Review your routine immunizations

☐ Discuss destination-specific travel vaccines

☐ Review malaria risk if applicable

☐ Plan mosquito bite prevention

☐ Review food and water precautions

☐ Consider traveller’s diarrhea prevention and treatment

☐ Pack your regular medications

☐ Prepare a travel health kit

☐ Check your travel insurance

☐ Save important medical information

☐ Book your travel health consultation

Family reunion: ready. Suitcase: ready. Travel health plan: ready.

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