Travel Immunization and Vaccination
Advice for Safe Travel
If
you are planning to travel abroad,
you may need certain travel immunization.
Which vaccinations will be required
will depend on your travel destination,
the length of your stay, and whether
or not you have already been inoculated
against particular diseases. Consult
a physician or travel medicine clinic
at least four to six weeks before
your departure in order to allow
the recommended time for vaccinations
to be effective. This is especially
important for those whose travel
destinations include tropical areas
or developing countries. Immunizations
against diseases such as hepatitis,
typhoid, and cholera, as well as
drugs that protect you against malaria
are vital to your health. Here is
some travel vaccination advice obtained
from the Public Health Agency of
Canada.
 Showing
proof at customs
Immigration officials
in some countries may ask you for
immunization certification as proof
that you have had vaccines against
cholera and yellow fever; you may
also have to prove to certain overseas
employers that you have had your
childhood vaccinations, such as
those for chicken pox, measles,
and polio. Because different countries
have different diseases, you should
consult the federal government’s
health department to get a current
list of countries and their prevalent
diseases, as well as the mandatory
inoculation for those countries.
If you are uncertain of your immunization
record, ask your current, past,
and childhood physicians for a list
of vaccines you have received.
Malaria
If you are traveling to an area
where malaria is prevalent, you
will need to purchase a sufficient
supply of anti-malarial drugs which
you must begin to take one full
week before departure, for the entire
duration of your visit, and for
the continuing four weeks after
leaving the malarial area. The actual
medication prescribed will depend
on the particular strain of malaria
present in the country you are visiting.
Moreover, travelers must take personal
protective measures to reduce the
risk of mosquito bites. It is wise
to consult a physician or travel
medicine clinic in order to obtain
travel advice with regards to malaria.
Yellow
fever
A vaccination against
yellow fever is mandatory for entry
into certain countries in Central
Africa and South America. Travelers
to these countries must possess
an international certificate of
vaccination that certifies that
they have had yellow fever vaccination.
An additional 102 countries require
this certificate if there has been
a stop-over in a region where yellow
fever exists.
Travel
vaccination advice
- Ensure that your vaccines against
illnesses such as diphtheria,
pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles,
chicken pox, mumps and rubella
are up-to-date
- Consider immunization against
typhoid and hepatitis A if travel
includes areas where sanitary
conditions are poor
- Inform yourself on the particular
risks involved when traveling
to remote areas where immunization
against meningitis, Japanese encephalitis,
European tick-borne encephalitis,
hepatitis B or rabies is required
Although most vaccines can be administered
on short notice, four to six weeks
prior to departure is recommended
in order to maximize your protection
as it takes time for your body to
build immunity. Travel immunization
provides protection, but it is not
a substitute for proper personal
hygiene, mosquito precautions, and
careful selection of food and water
sources. A health professional will
be able to assess your personal
travel immunization and preventative
medication needs, depending on your
physical health condition, previous
immunization history, and travel
itinerary.
Article
written by Anna DeGaborik
Anna DeGaborik is the author for
the All
Mosquito Netting Info website.
She studies insect diseases and
prevention, specializing in mosquitoes.
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