10 Mosquito Musts to Avoid Malaria

Mosquito bites can make any holiday a nightmare and anyone who has suffered will testify to this. Many people appear to just be lucky and not get bitten at all but some of us will always be the target if we do not take the correct precautions.

At their best, a mosquito bite will irritate the hell out of you and make you want to scratch the area incessantly. This spreads the poison of the bite and makes the area more painful and inflamed. At worst, the mosquito could be carrying malaria and this could have very serious consequences for the traveller.

The most sensible route to take is one of preparation and precaution. Whilst there is nothing on the market or any natural remedy available to guarantee that you don’t get bitten, it is perfectly possible to guard against being affected by taking a number of preventative measures. Prevention is most certainly more desirable than being in a situation where you have to find a cure.

Take the following steps to prevent being bitten by mosquitoes:

1. Know your enemy! Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk. Always keep some repellent in your bag to ensure that if your schedule is disrupted or you lose track of time, you can apply the repellent anywhere. Travellers often get carried away, having a few drinks at the beach bar and fail to notice that the sun has set. Mozzies love these foolish tourists and hone in for a feast at dusk! The rule of thumb is to get into a routine. Take note of the sunset and head back to base to prepare for prevention.

On arrival in the resort or area, enquire upon the mosquito activity. You should soon be able to gage the risk of being bitten as the locals and other tourists are usually happy to share their knowledge.

1. Close ranks! Baton the hatches and close the door. If you have a window open, ensure the insect screen is intact or failing that, make sure the window is closed. If your room has air conditioning then keep it running because the low temperatures will help keep the mozzies away.
2. Cover up! Keep your skin covered between sunset and dawn. Long sleeves are great, as are trousers. Whilst it may be tempting to show off your tan – it won’t be as pretty when you are covered in bites. If mosquito activity is fairly low, or if you are going to be inside and away from the pool or beach, then shorter garments may be okay as long as you have used repellent
3. Stink “em out! Take some really strong repellent and make sure you use it. Don”t be fooled by brands that that say they are jungle strength ensure that you have a brand which has a large percentage of DEET. Anything lower than 30% is likely to be ineffective and the higher the percentage, the longer you will be protected. I went to Kenya on Safari and used 100% DEET and I didn’t get one bite! Strong Deet is not suitable for use on children.
4. Gadgets and Gizmos! You can buy a mosquito repellent plug-in for your room that is designed to kill a range of bugs. If you want to sit outside at night, keep the lights dimmed to a minimum and burn a citronella candle. These are widely available from most garden centres. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to sleep outside or a dorm where you have less control, then a mosquito net impregnated with repellent is advisable.
5. Eat yourself into a less desirable state! By this, I am suggesting that you up your intake of garlic and marmite as mosquitoes apparently are repulsed by the smell! Eating bananas on the other hand may attract the mozzies so you may want to give them a miss.
6. Wash and go! Avoid using scented shower gels or bubble baths, no matter how nice they may smell because if you like the fragrance, the chances are that bugs will too. Go for non-scented products, including deodorant, wherever this is possible.
7. Stick to the road most travelled! Keep to the paths wherever possible and avoid taking short cuts through the gardens or trees. Avoid anywhere at night where there is an expanse of water, even the ocean, as mosquitoes thrive in these places. Lakes, ponds, rivers and pools are a no no after dark if you want to stay bite-free.
8. Double check and check again! Don’t be caught out by forgetting to put repellent on the back of your neck or ankles. It is vital to pay particular attention to the areas of your body that are exposed when you are out and about. Check your room before you go to sleep, turn the air conditioning off for a moment and listen for the high piercing sounds of the insect. Take a look around to see if there are any mozzies taking a snooze on your wall.
9. ‘B’ prepared! Taking 1 vitamin B tablet a day and a zinc supplement is also said to help the body by giving off an odour that mosquitoes don’t like. You won’t be able to smell it but apparently it is there!

It is important to take anti-malarial medication for visits to some regions of the world, for example, Africa and these tablets need to be taken before, during and after your trip so be at their most effective.

If in doubt, you must always seek the advice of a qualified medical professional, who will be able to assist you in making the right choices for a safe and pleasant trip.