At Hazelhill Family Practice, we provide a wide range of travel vaccines to patients.
A common mistake made by people travelling to far flung destinations is to leave their travel vaccines until the last minute. This can cause real problems. Travel vaccines can take up to 6 to 8 weeks to take effect. People shouldn’t go on journeys with vaccines that haven’t had sufficient time to protect them from infection.
Not receiving your travel vaccinations in time can also mean you won’t be permitted to enter certain countries. This is particularly true for countries with a Yellow Fever vaccination requirement in place.
We encourage patients to do their research on the vaccinations they will need at least 3 months before they travel. That provides enough time to schedule an appointment and then receive the vaccines with enough time for them to take effect.
Obviously this is destination dependent. Vaccination is less important for the USA or western Europe than for some locations. A more thorough vaccination programme may be needed for South America, South East Asia, India or parts of Africa.
The level of vaccination required also varies depending on how long you are going to be in that country as well as what you plan on doing when you’re there. For example, additional vaccines are advised when someone is going into the more remote parts of some countries, perhaps camping or trekking.
Travel vaccines factors to consider
Hazelhill Family Practice recommends that you keep the following travel vaccine aspects in mind:
- Where you plan to travel. Some countries need proof of vaccination for certain diseases, like polio or Yellow Fever.
- Your health. If you are pregnant, elderly, have an ongoing illness or weakened immune system, you may need additional vaccinations.
- Vaccines you’ve already had. As well as your travel vaccines, it’s important that you have had all your routine vaccines. It’s also important to maintain a record of your vaccination history.
Pre-travel consultation
A pre-travel consultation helps anyone planning their journey to get some more information about the vaccinations and medicines required. It also gives insight into potential side effects and suitability for each individual. It is important to be aware of the relative risks in each destination, taking into account the patient’s overall medical history and current medical condition.
What vaccines do I need before travel?
Vaccines are destination and person specific. The type of activities planned will also impact on the what vaccines are needed.
A list of the common travel vaccines for popular destinations is listed here, along with some additional travel vaccine information>>>
If you would like to book your travel vaccines or a pre travel consultation with at Hazelhill Family Practice please click here>>>