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The key trends and treatments likely to be impacting the health and spa industry in 2021. Interview with Dr Jitka Vanderpol MD FRCP MBA

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  1. What are the main symptoms related to COVID and how can the Czech Republic spa and health resorts help tackle these?

A short term acute symptoms of Covid 19 in most patients are very mild, some patients develop high temperature, cough, loss of smell and taste. As a neurologist I have seen mainly patients with neurological presentation of Covid 19, most commonly stroke, some patient with peripheral nerves impairment or spinal cord demyelination. Coronavirus can cause damage to brain, heart, kidney and lungs, this is partly due to thromboembolic complications partly due to immune system overreaction damaging your cells.

A large proportion of patients who developed more severe symptoms of Covid suffer from long term effects, these can persist for many months. Most commonly patients suffer with fatigue, other symptoms include shortness of breath, chronic cough, joint pain, muscle pain and chest pain. Some patients complain of memory, concentration and sleep problems.

Czech medical spa and health resorts can play pivotal role in supporting patients with long term consequences of Covid 19. This is not only in offering relaxation and retreat to recuperate from chronic fatigue. Having very skilled medical professionals and physiotherapists at the health resorts with a long tradition of healing patients with chronic musculoskeletal, respiratory, and cardiovascular conditions, Czech health resorts can offer targeted physiotherapy and exercises, inhalation using hot mineral springs to support patients with long term respiratory symptoms. Furthermore, physiotherapist support and advice essential for patients with musculoskeletal pain and chronic cardiovascular conditions.

Czech medical resorts can offer you personalised care plans to help you reach your maximum health potential.

  1. What is your insight into key trends and treatments set to impact the health and wellness tourism industry in 2021?

The key trends will come with increasing knowledge of health-conscious patients, rebranding of aging to a positively cool 55+ generation and embracing a holistic culture of wellbeing and preventative health care. Building a new convergence between evidence-based healthcare and wellness.

Using smart technologies: From Fitbit, Garmin and Apple watches to health tracking smart apps; monitoring fitness level, calories intake, sleep, will become increasingly popular way to manage health.

Using genetic testing and biohacking has been on rise. From looking for the answers about the risks of future conditions to optimising diet and enhancing your body. This will take personalised health care to the next level.

The food revolution: today’s society consumers are far more aware of an impact their diet and food choices have. Abandoning 100 years old ‘calories in and calories out theory’, focussing on quality produce, sustainable sourcing and carbon footprint. ‘Eat clean’ movement towards healthy organic locally sourced produce, from your farmer or fisherman, abandoning processed alternatives. From celebrity endorsed massively growing culture of veganism to increasing demand to dairy free, gluten free, sugar free and preservatives free products.

Strengthening the immune system will be a major wellness post-Covid trend, from food and supplements to education.

During the Covid pandemics there has been growing need to support not just physical health but also focus on mental health problems, resulting from isolation, stress and anxiety. This will continue to have impact on the wellness industry, increasing its focus on mental health in the coming years.

 

  1. What do you think makes the Czech Republic such a great destination for health and wellness tourism?  

Czech health care has a long tradition of convergence between the evidence-based medicine and wellness culture of wellbeing and preventative health, which is one of the major trends worldwide currently.

Czech Republic has great health destinations located in historical spa resorts with healing tradition, surrounded by beautiful nature and fresh air.

The health resorts have teams of medical experts and physiotherapist who are able to offer personalised health care programs to help patients to recuperate post-Covid, from chronic respiratory problems, help with stress management, improve sleep, treat musculoskeletal pain, advice about healthy diet, weight loss, boost the immune system and improve general health and wellbeing.

I truly believe that the British patients would benefit from staying in one of many excellent health centres in medical spa towns in Czech Republic.