So, how’s the holiday planning going on? Excited about the next few months, or worrying about how you will decide the perfect destination? Maybe a little of both?
That’s OK. Pre-travel preparation usually gets overwhelming with all the places to choose from, not to mention noting down the essentials you really need to pack ahead. But all this excitement shouldn’t be an excuse to neglect your health.
From bird flu and malaria to other deadly disease like the yellow fever, international traveling can expose you to many diseases – so it is better to be prepared than scared before traveling anywhere.
Vaccines are one of the important solutions you have to protect yourself from these and other maladies. Travel vaccines/immunizations are shots you can get to stay safe from serious illnesses.
The process involves exposing the body to germs of the disease the particular vaccine will protect against. The vaccine weakens the viruses, and the body responds through antibody production against the disease. Additionally, it protects you from diseases other people may be carrying in an airplane or airport.
According to the USHealth Group Private, the most common vaccines are for Hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid, meningitis, meningococcal, rabies, pneumococcal conjugate, chicken pox, tuberculosis (TB) and yellow fever. Immunizations are required for these disease risks for entering specific countries and recommended by the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control. Travelers are recommended to obtain health information before traveling to developing countries and tropical areas.
In some cases, immunizations must be presented on the ‘yellow health card’, also referred to as the International Certificate of Vaccination. Your healthcare provider will fill out the card and may also provide the stamp, but usually stamps are obtainable from a country’s health department. Typically, you will be required to present the yellow card when you are traveling to an area requiring Yellow Fever immunization.
Area-specific vaccinations
Yellow fever is the sole immunization required by the International Health Regulations of the World Health Organization. Travelers are usually prone to this fever in warmer clients; if you’re traveling to South America or sub-Saharan Africa, you will have to get a vaccination.
Hepatitis B vaccinations are preferred for Asia, Africa, South America, Eastern Europe and some parts of Europe. Also, travelers can get this vaccination for northern destinations such as Russia, Greenland and Alaska, according to the CDC.
People visiting South and central Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and South Pacific are recommended undergoing vaccination for Hepatitis A. Typhoid is a risk for travelers visiting the Caribbean, south and Central America. Drug regimen (Chemoprophylaxis) should be pursued for areas with risk for malaria, such as Africa, South and Central America and parts of Africa.
Vaccination time and safety
Vaccination appointments should be made four to six weeks before a trip, and a healthcare professional should be contacted six months in advance, recommends the CDC. Some immunizations are considered unsafe for pregnant women and children, but most are safe for breast-feeding mothers. People with contraindications such as AIDS and HIV should speak to a healthcare professional before being vaccinated.
To conclude, you should learn about your destination and the type of geographical areas you will be visiting to see the vaccines available. Get appropriate ones for your destination, with ample time frame for them to reach effectiveness.
