Festival Tips

‘Wash Your Hands’ among essential tips to ensure a healthy festival experience

 

With a number of festivals taking place across the country this weekend, pharmacists are advising that basic hand hygiene can help reduce the risk of picking up or spreading germs that can cause upset stomachs. The ‘wash your hands’ tip to music revellers is one of a number of  Top Festival Tips that Eamonn Brady from Whelehans Pharmacy in Mullingar advises for a safe and healthy festival.

 Unprotected sex, dehydration and sunburn are some of the other threats to the health and safety of festival goers, pharmacists say.

Pharmacist Eamonn Brady says, “Hand washing is the simplest, most effective measure for preventing the spread of germs. Washing your hands, particularly before you eat or after going to the toilet, will help prevent the spread of bacteria and food-borne illnesses. Festival goers should also bring along and use an antiseptic hand gel with a high alcohol content and use it regularly.”

 Eamonn also highlighted the risks of unprotected sex and warned festival revellers to plan ahead and bring condoms to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

 Eamonn are also advises revellers on other areas of concern. “You can bring along a few over-the-counter remedies to have if you become unwell, such as medication for stomach upsets or diarrhoea and antiseptic cream for bites, stings or cuts. It is also very important to apply sunscreen with a high sun protection factor to avoid sunburn,”

 Top Festival Tips

1. Wash your hands – Wash your hands before you eat, after going to the toilet or handling rubbish. Bring along an antiseptic hand gel and use it regularly.
2. Medication – Make sure to bring an adequate supply of any medication you may be taking. If you are an asthma sufferer, don’t forget to bring your inhaler and spare cartridges.
3. Dehydration – drink plenty of water. Be careful if you are drinking alcohol as it has a dehydrating effect.   
4. Sexual Health – Practice safe sex and take precautions. Always use a condom to protect against sexually transmitted infections. Remember, vomiting and diarrhoea can make oral contraceptives ineffective.
5. Sun Protection – It doesn’t take much sun to get burned or have sunstroke when you’re outside all day at a festival. Use a sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF 20 or higher) and apply it regularly. Choose a sunscreen that protects from harmful UVA and UVB rays. Always wear a hat and sunglasses and protective clothing.
6. Stomach Upsets – Ask your pharmacist about appropriate over-the-counter medicines to bring with you in case you get a stomach upset. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration if you are suffering from diarrhoea.

Eamonn Brady is pharmacist at Whelehans Pharmacy, 38 Pearse St, Mullingar (opposite the Greville Arms Hotel). Tel 04493 34591. Web. www.whelehans.ie