• Many people have heard the myth that being “AS” makes you immune to malaria. Sickle cell trait is most common in places like Africa where malaria is common. This trait has stuck around in these populations because it offers some protection against malaria. 

• If you’ve got sickle cell trait (HbAS), it means you have one abnormal haemoglobin gene from one parent and one normal haemoglobin gene from the other. 

• People with sickle cell trait don’t show symptoms. When someone with sickle cell trait gets bitten by a mosquito carrying malaria, they’re less likely to get seriously sick. That’s because their red blood cells make it harder for the malaria parasite to multiply. 

• Even so, having sickle cell trait doesn’t mean you’re totally safe from malaria. You still to avoid getting it, because being “AS” doesn’t make you immune to malaria, it just reduces your chances of getting serious malaria.

• People with sickle cell disease have two abnormal haemoglobin genes, one from each parent. They are more likely to have severe malaria and do not have added protection against it. 

• Sickle cell disease stops your spleen from working well. Your spleen helps clear certain infections, so a faulty spleen increases your risk of severe infections including malaria.

• Many people with sickle cell disease in Africa die because of malaria. 

• Malaria can trigger a sickle cell crisis.

• It is a myth that being born in Africa protects you against malaria. People born in places where malaria is common get some protection against serious illness with malaria over time, even though they can still catch malaria. 

• However, if they move to places where there's no malaria and stop being exposed to it, their immunity fades quickly.

There is no long-lasting immunity if you have had malaria before. 

• If you've had malaria before, it doesn't mean you're immune for life. People who live in areas where malaria is common get constantly exposed to it, they do get some protection from serious illness, but they can still get infected. If you're not exposed to the parasite for a long time, that protection will be lost.

• Not all mosquitoes carry malaria, but just one bite from an infected mosquito can give you malaria

• The female mosquitoes live on after biting you to feed again and to infect other people with malaria. They also use your blood to nourish their eggs so that they can breed more mosquitoes!

• Air-conditioned rooms may lower the risk of mosquito bites because mosquitoes dislike cold and closed windows keep them out. However, AC alone cannot prevent malaria. 

• One bite from an infected mosquito is enough to transmit the disease. To reduce the risk, sleep under a mosquito net and spray the room with an approved insecticide before bed.

• There is a myth that you can only get malaria during rainy season.

• Mosquitoes are present all year-round, but they are more active during the rainy season. Even in the dry season, they do not disappear, so the risk of malaria remains all year round

• Malaria is more common in rural and village areas, but mosquitoes carrying malaria also live in cities and in fact, malaria is moving into more cities because of changes in mosquito behaviour. Remember that it only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to get malaria, so you must protect yourself even in cities

• There’s no proof that strong smells like essential oils, vitamins or foods like garlic actually keep mosquitoes away. It is best to stick to reliable ways to avoid mosquito bites such as insect repellents, bednets and covering up arms and leg

• There’s no proof that any foods or drinks can keep mosquitoes from biting you. It is best to stick to reliable ways to avoid mosquito bites such as insect repellents, bednets and covering up arms and legs.

• Travelling back home is expensive, we know, we’ve been there! 

•  The costs of some anti-malarials can mount up if travelling for more than a few weeks or if lots of you are travelling but other antimalarials such as doxycycline or mefloquine can be quite cheap and can work out less than the cost of a meal out for your trip.

• It is true that malaria is not a common infection in the UK and many doctors in the UK may not look after patients with malaria but there are national guidelines and experts in malaria in the UK.

• Hospitals in areas with large African communities treat people for malaria all through the year because many people in these communities catch malaria when travelling back home and then return to the UK with it.

• Malaria treatment doesn't always require a hospital stay. As long as you don’t have severe malaria and are managing to eat and drink without vomiting, you can be treated quickly and effectively with prescription malaria tablets so that you can recover at home and be followed up in clinic.

• It is really important to be diagnosed and treated early for malaria to stop it from making you sick.