Ultimate Travel Vaccination Guide

Michael Ethan
Sep 6, 2018 · 5 min read

Travelling comes with excitement and the thought of the adventures can be thrilling. But, the last thing you want to spoil your long-planned escapades is sickness or infections. This is why getting vaccinated before checking out with your travel luggage is essential to minimize the health risks.

Introduction

That half an hour appointment with your doctor could go a long way to protect you from a very serious disease or even save your life. Also request a checkup against pre-existing health condition, if any, for shots or prescriptions. But what is the right timing to take the vaccines? What specific diseases must you take vaccination against? Which travel destinations are prone to some infections?

This ultimate travel vaccination will answer most of your concerns and provide you with first-hand tips never to overlook during your travel plans. For stress-free outdoor exciting moments, we delve into the details.

Do you really need a travel vaccine?

Travel vaccines are safe and effective because they prevent travelers from bringing home other diseases. According to Jeffrey Goad, PharmD, MPH, everybody requires vaccines. He says that travel vaccines can be categorized in to three:

a) Routine vaccines- These are standard vaccines that adult and children immunization that are recommended for everybody in the US.

b) Recommended vaccines- These are vaccines that protect you in areas where there is a high risk of contracting some illnesses. The vaccines prevent the spread of diseases from one country to the other.

c) Required vaccines- These are vaccines like the yellow fever vaccine that travelers need when visiting different parts of South America and Africa.

Vaccines advisable for specific regions

1. Yellow fever

Might you be planning to visit Africa or parts of South America soon? These places are predominant of the mosquito-borne illness that causes high fever, renal failure, and Jaundice. It is important to take a yellow fever vaccine about 10 days before visiting. This is because the yellow fever doesn’t have any cure but vaccination is the best shot.

Upon vaccination, they should issue you with documentation as proof of the treatment which you can produce with your passport when asked to. Some of the side-effects you might experience include redness, pain and swelling on the skin area injected. Some people experience high fever for quite several days.

2. Hepatitis A and B

You might contact Hepatitis A through contaminated water or food. It can also spread from person to person contact. If you are traveling, a vaccine would keep you safe since your immune system isn’t pre-exposed to local destination conditions. Hepatitis B spreads from person to person through infected fluids like blood, sexual contact or unsterile contaminated medical equipment.

3. Malaria (common in Africa and many other nations)

The best way to avoid malaria mosquito bite is to use a mosquito net while asleep. If possible, occupy rooms above the third floor (wild but it works), always wear loose long-sleeved light clothes at night in tropical countries and are well covered up while sleeping. To stay safe from insect bites, apply on your skin insect repellants and sunscreen.

The rooms to occupy should have windows closed most of the times and air conditioning. In addition, always have in your first aid kit the anti-malarias. You are also likely to come across mosquitoes deep in the jungle and other interior rural areas. These are preferable approaches to malaria since it has no preventive vaccination like other diseases.

But what if you get bitten with blisters and are experiencing subsequent signs of malaria? It’s always advisable to check a doctor for an immediate diagnosis.

Other diseased to take a vaccine for include:

• Diphtheria (likely to be contracted in sub-Saharan Africa nations, parts of South America and South East Asia).

• Tetanus, typhoid, and cholera (found everywhere worldwide)

• Polio (mostly found in Asia and Africa)

• Rabies (common in South America Asia, and Africa).

• Japanese B Encephalitis (occurs mostly during the rainy season in regions of Nepal China, northern Sri Lanka, northern Burma, and northern Thailand eastern, southern states of India, Laos, and Vietnam among many other countries).

• Tick-Borne Encephalitis

  • Meningitis among many others.

Recall

It’s important you talk to your doctor about areas to visit for appropriate disease vaccination because some ailments are common in some regions. If you are pregnant and traveling with kids, make sure all of you undergo medical checkups and are vaccinated accordingly.

Kids are susceptible to some diseases keeping in mind their immune system is still strengthening. Check on the availability of your travel medical insurance coverage during the trip to cater for potential medical costs.

Other things to consider before taking a travel vaccination

If you are planning to gravel oversees, there are several things that you need to consider before taking a travel vaccination. How is your immune system? You have any condition or disease that makes your immunity weak? It is important if you talk to your doctor about these things before taking the vaccination.

The next thing you need to do is to consider if you are traveling with kids or if you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor so that you can get the right medical procedures and vaccines that are safe for the kids.

It is also important to check your vaccine history with your doctor. For instance, you might have received a vaccination for Hepatitis A. this is important because it will prevent confusion in the immunization records.

Wrap

It’s absolutely essential you plan for your vaccination on time and avoid last minute rush. Some vaccines have to be administered on specific days early before traveling. Sort your vaccine pack before taking on that flight or driving off. You don’t want to recall while on your destination having left behind your prescriptions and incur extra avoidable medical expenses. This will ultimately save your money for other indulgencies while overseas.

Avoid the temptation to ignore your vaccination preparedness as advised by your medic as this might expose you to unforeseen infections. Lastly, make sure you seek a qualified specialist for effective vaccination.

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