O’Connell St Medical Centre is a comprehensive general practice facility that opened in 2014 to serve the healthcare needs of those who work or live in the centre of Sydney.

1. Holiday Hotel Health Tips
Going on holiday for many people means staying
in hotel rooms and they are not always the
healthiest of places. An overall appearance of
cleanliness is a good sign, but it is no guarantee
that the thousands of strangers who stayed in your
room before you haven’t left a few of their germs
behind.

2. There are however bigger potential health risks
than germs in your room or on common surfaces
including: Hotel water systems carrying
Legionnaire's Disease; bed bugs at hotels of every
star rating has become a concern; hotel pools
carrying bacteria such as cryptosporidium and
giardia; and the food-borne illness risks increased
by things like hotel buffets.
But getting away from it all, having someone else
clean up after you, and not having to worry about
the daily grind whilst also staying healthy is
possible if you follow these tips…
Tips for preventing hotel germs affecting your
health
 Complete a quick check for cleanliness when you first
enter your room and if it produces unsatisfactory
results, call the front desk and ask for a spot-clean, or
room change.
 Check the bathroom for disinfecting oversights and
place your toiletries on top of a tissue or towel on the
counter to be extra safe.
 Bring alcohol-based wipes to spot-clean any misses or
hot spots you're planning on touching like door handles,
light switches, remote controls and phones.
 Do not trust your beds duvet. If you suspect the duvet
cover could have been used prior, pull the sheets way
up and don't let the duvet touch you!

3.  Bring washable slippers (or flip flops) to wear walking
around your room. On the way home, cover them with a
shower cap or wrap in a plastic bag to contain any bugs.
Tips for preventing food & water borne bugs
 Avoid tap water, ice cubes, fruit juices, fresh salads,
and open buffets – especially in 3rd World or
developing nations.
 Boiling water for at least one minute is the best method
for eliminating infectious organisms.
 Carbonated bottled water should be used for brushing
teeth and drinking as carbonation increases the acid in
the water and kills bacteria and in some places flat
bottled water is unsafe.
 Seek restaurants with a reputation for safety and even
then avoid raw foods, as well as fresh fruits or
vegetables that do not need to be peeled.
 Avoid shared toppings and sauces - even bottled sauces
on tables – as in some studies tabletop sauces from both
1st and 3rd World countries were found to be
contaminated.
Tips for preventing hotel bed bugs
 Check for bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) on the mattress
and headboard, investigating each at eye level for
movement or flecks that look like small flax seeds.
 If you notice something, leave the room immediately
and ask for your room to be changed, or a refund to
stay elsewhere.

4.  Put your bags on top of the luggage rack, steering clear
of the bed or chairs - you don't want your suitcase to get
contaminated.
 Wrap your luggage in a large plastic bag or spray your
suitcase with an insect repellent to prevent your bags
being infested in the cargo hold or overhead bin of an
airplane
Before going on holiday it is always a good idea to
have a general health check-up, especially if you
have not had one for a while. Also check with your
doctor before you leave on what vaccinations you
might need for your trip, especially if travelling to
Africa, Asia or Latin America.
*Please note that all advice on this website is
general advice only and is no substitute for
medical advice. It is highly recommended that you
seek a medical consultation with the doctor before
deciding what vaccinations to get or to discuss
general advice you may have read elsewhere.
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