Travel Medical Coverage
All AFS Participants are provided with secondary travel medical coverage for the duration of their program. Check the AFS Participant Medical Plan article for additional information. Know who to contact in an emergency! Review the information on the AFS Support Structure.
How can I prevent viruses?
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
What should I do if I get sick?
If you become ill with flu-like symptoms, there are several steps you should take:
- Talk with your host family or program staff about your symptoms.
- Ask you host parent/s to contact a doctor, particularly if you are worried about your symptoms. Your doctor will determine whether testing or treatment is needed.
- Stay home and avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness to others.
If you think you may have been exposed to COVID 19, tell your host parent/s or program staff immediately. Be sure to keep track of your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), tell your host parent, teacher, liaison or other adult and get medical attention right away.
Physical Health
Getting sick while you’re studying abroad is common—new environments, new foods, and any kind of time difference can potentially present your body with a new set of physical challenges. program leader is your best resource for keeping you healthy abroad.
Some questions you may want to investigate before you go abroad are:
- Is it safe to drink tap water in your host town?
- Are there any foods that you should avoid or treat with care?
- Do any contagious diseases exist in your host country that do not exist or are less common than in the U.S.?