It is important to have a well-stocked first aid kit in your home to deal with minor accidents and injuries.

Your first aid kit should be locked and kept in a cool, dry place, out of reach of children.

Medicines should be checked regularly to make sure that they are within their use-by dates.

Many people also keep a small first aid kit in their car for emergencies.

A basic first aid kit should contain:

• Adhesive bandages, in a variety of different sizes and shapes.
• Small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings.
• At least two sterile eye dressings.
• Triangular bandages.
• Crêpe rolled bandages.
• Safety pins.
• Disposable sterile gloves.
• Tweezers.
• Scissors.
• Alcohol-free cleansing wipes.
• Sticky tape.
• Thermometer, preferably digital.
• Skin rash cream such as hydrocortisone or calendula.
• Cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings.
• Antiseptic cream.
• Painkillers such as acetaminophen (or infant acetaminophen for children), aspirin (not to be given to children under 16), or ibuprofen.
• Cough medicine.
• Decongestant tablets or nasal spray.
• Antihistamine tablets.
• Distilled water, for cleaning wounds and as an eye bath.

Further information:

Travel health zone