As we approach the holiday season, make sure you know about ZoomDoc’s travel-related certificates and documents before you jet off.
They could be the difference between getting on a plane to your dream holiday and staying at home – or getting stuck abroad, unable to fly home when you want to.
Some of the most common letters travellers may need are:
- Chickenpox Recovery Letter
- Pregnancy Fit-To-Fly Letter
- Fit-To-Cruise Letter
- Travel With Medication Letter
In this blog, ZoomDoc discusses some of the most common medical letters needed by travellers each year, as well as how to get one without seeing your usual GP or even needing to make a doctor’s appointment in the first place.
Chickenpox Recovery Letter
If you or your child has recently had chickenpox and recovered, and the spots have fully scabbed over, your airline will require a fit-to-fly certificate confirming you are no longer infectious.
Spring is a common time to get chickenpox but if your child breaks out in it just before you’re about to jet off on holiday, you’ll have to reschedule or cancel.
That’s because you cannot fly until the spots have crusted over and you’re no longer infectious. Chickenpox is highly contagious and can cause complications in some people.
However, if someone in your family has had chickenpox recently but is ok to travel – in other words, their spots have crusted over but may still be visible – you’ll need a Fit To Fly letter from the doctor, to prove they can board the airline.
You can get one easily, without seeing your usual GP or finding one in another country.
How do I get a chicken pox recovery letter?
Simply visit ZoomDoc and order the Chickenpox Recovery Letter for £45.
You’ll need to upload a 30-second video of your child’s face, neck and arms, showing the spots that have fully scabbed over. These will be verified by a doctor who will then issue a formal letter you can show to your airline.
ZoomDoc GPs have a clinical responsibility to ensure they only sign off patients to travel who are no longer infectious. If they discover the spots aren’t scabbed over properly yet, they won’t be able to issue the recovery letter.
On the flipside, they can instead issue a letter confirming it’s chickenpox and that the patient is not ‘fit to fly’ yet. This can be helpful for your travel insurance or for help with rebooking your flight.
Your letter will be emailed to you the same day. If we can’t issue a letter for some reason you will receive a refund.
Order your Chickenpox Recovery Letter today.
Pregnancy Fit-To-Fly Letter
Pregnant women will need a certificate to travel with most airlines after the 28th week of pregnancy.
If you’re pregnant and are flying there or back in your second or third trimester, it’s a good idea to have a Fit To Fly Certificate in your hand luggage.
Not all airlines will need to see one but some will need confirmation of your due date, how many weeks pregnant you are and that you have no complications preventing you from flying.
It’s also worth noting that you can’t fly – no matter how fit and well you are – once you reach the last few weeks of your third trimester. Most airlines say travel is not permitted from 36 weeks onwards – earlier if you are carrying twins or multiples.
Your GP practice may issue this but ‘you may have to pay for the letter and wait several weeks before you get it’, says advice on the NHS website.
How do I get a pregnancy fit-to-fly letter?
To make life easier, get yours via ZoomDoc by selecting the ‘Pregnancy Fit-To-Fly’ option. You’ll get yours sent to you the same day for £45.
Fit-To-Cruise Letter
If you’re planning to take a voyage on a cruise ship you may require a fit-to-cruise certificate confirming that you are fit to travel.
Cruise lines take passenger health and safety very seriously – after all, illness can spread quickly onboard and you’re often out at sea for long stretches.
That’s why many will ask for a Fit-To-Cruise letter or certificate if you’ve been unwell, have a particular health condition or are pregnant. It’s worth noting that many cruise lines will not let pregnant women board once they reach 24 weeks, which is quite a bit earlier than airlines.
Check what your cruise line’s policy is before you travel and if you do need proof that you are fit to cruise, ZoomDoc can help.
How do I get a fit-to-cruise letter?
Order your Fit-To-Cruise Letter.
No appointment is needed – simply apply online and pay just £45. ZoomDoc will then be able to provide you with a same-day medical certificate that will confirm you are in good health and have no conditions that should prevent you embarking on your cruise.
Travel With Medication Letter
Countries have different rules and regulations about: the types of medicine and the maximum quantity you can take in.
Although certain medications are fine in some countries it can be problematic in others and you don’t want to risk having it confiscated once you land, or worse, being arrested or fined if it’s illegal there (but legal here in the UK).
Depending on where you’re travelling and what you’re taking with you – for example, prescription painkillers, blood pressure medication or antidepressants, you may need to check if you need a Travel With Medication Letter.
Gov.uk advice recommends asking ‘your doctor or pharmacist whether your medicine contains a controlled drug. If it does, check the rules for the country you’re going to with the embassy before you travel. You’ll need to prove it’s yours with either a prescription or letter from your doctor.’
If you find out you need one – or already know you do – there’s no need to book a GP appointment.
How do I get a medication travel letter?
Order your Travel With Medication Letter online here for £45.
After completing a short online form and uploading an image of your current prescription or repeat prescription form, a ZoomDoc doctor will then review the evidence and call if anything further is required.
You’ll receive a same-day digital PDF letter signed by a UK GMC-registered doctor. If for any reason they can’t provide you with this letter, you’ll receive a full refund.
Medical Letters and more
ZoomDoc provides a range of Medical Letters on its website. It also has more information about topical health issues on its Healthwire blog.
If you’re off travelling or are heading off on holiday, you may want to read some of these:
- Travel documents to double check now
- Can I take medicine abroad?
- Is it safe to fly during pregnancy?
- Greece Visa Medical Certificates made easy
- Hot weather hydration tips