The NHS has released guidelines for Saints fans who are intending to travel to Portsmouth for next month's Carabao Cup clash.
Although the general advice from the NHS is that UK citizens should not travel to areas of the World that are prone to serious diseases and illnesses unless completely necessary, they have issued some guidelines for Saints supporters who feel they must travel.
The NHS statement read.
Although the NHS strongly advises Southampton supporters not to travel to Portsmouth in October due to the danger of infection, we do accept that sometimes travel to such areas is necessary in order to put lower league football teams in their place.
We therefore have issued the following guidelines.
If you're planning to travel outside the SO Postcodes, you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of Hampshire
Vaccinations are available to protect you against infections such as yellow fever, typhoid and hepatitis A. These diseases are rife on Portsea Island although scurvy has now been almost eradicated in most areas.
In the UK, the NHS routine immunisation (vaccination) schedule protects you against a number of diseases, but doesn't cover all of the infectious diseases found in Portsmouth.
Diseases known to be rife in and around Portsea Island are known to include.
yellow fever
typhoid
hepatitis A
Cholera
Rabies
Tick-borne Encephalitis
Tubercolosis
Consumption
Chronic B O
Chickenpox
Foot & Mouth
If possible, see the GP or a private travel clinic at least 8 weeks before you're due to travel.
Some vaccines need to be given well in advance to allow your body to develop immunity.
And some vaccines involve a number of doses spread over several weeks or months.
You may be more at risk of some diseases, for example, if you're:
travelling in Portsmouth
Visiting Fratton Park
Do not have a Haz Mat suit
There are other things to consider when planning your travel vaccinations for Portsmouth, including:
your age and health — you may be more vulnerable to infection than others; some vaccines can't be given to people with certain medical conditions
working as an aid worker — you may come into contact with more diseases in a refugee camp or helping after a natural disaster
working in a medical setting — a doctor, nurse or another healthcare worker may require additional vaccinations
contact with animals — you may be more at risk of getting diseases spread by animals, such as rabies
If you're only travelling to parts of Eastern Southampton , Bishops Waltham or Swanwick to watch the game on TV then you're unlikely to need any vaccinations, however the rule of thumb is if it is East of the Hamble river take no chances.
NHS Health workers will be on site at Fratton Park on the evening of the game and advise you to seek urgent medical attention immediately from NHS staff, they will be identifiable by the wearing of breathing apparatus & bright yellow suits marked "Haz Mat" for the following:
If you are feeling sick or nauseous or start to develop any form of rash.
You start to feel attracted to your Sister
You start to hallucinate and feel that 15,000 people are really 75,000.
Do use the antiseptic foot baths available prior boarding the return transport after the game, it is important that no virus's are commuted back across the Hamble River, it is a buffer zone invented by God for a good reason.
Upon returning home strip naked in the garden and then burn all your clothing including shoes, money & jewellery, under no circumstances take them into your house or wear them again.
Shave off all of your body hair.
Get a member of your family, preferably from an upstairs window to then hose you down with an industrial strength firehose whilst a second person throws a bucket of neat Dettol over you at regular intervals.
Stay in quarantine for at least a week.
The NHS has stated that it may issue further statements in the next four weeks and that they can confirm that there are no reported cases of Sense of Humour known in PO Postcodes at present.