Travel Vaccinations – Things To Consider
Travelling abroad is amazing, until you remember you may need vaccinations. So there are a few things to consider when hopping aboard your plane, including:
The country or countries you are visiting - various diseases are more common in certain parts of the world and less in others, so it may mean multiple jabs
Time of year you’re travelling – some diseases are more susceptible to being caught during different times of the year i.e: rainy/monsoon seasons
Your accommodation – as a natural, you’ll be more at risk of disease if you are staying in more rural than urban areas or if you were backpacking vs staying in a package holiday resort.
Holiday duration – the longer you stay, the greater the risk of being exposed to different environments, temperatures, food and bugs which your body may not be used to
Age & health – some may be more prone to diseases and infections than others, and some vaccinations cannot be given to people with certain medical conditions or if you are pregnant/breast feeding.
What your holiday activities will involve – consider if you’ll be partaking in hiking or rural activities including dessert trips or mountainous expeditions
Are you going as an aid worker? – working within refugee camps or helping with a natural disaster means you may be coming into more contact with various other diseases and possible infections that could be arising
Are you working in a medical setting? – travelling and working as a doctor or nurse means you’ll be more than likely required to take additional precautions and vaccinations to immunise against other travellers and residents
Your contact with animals – if you are going to be in high contact with various animals, you’ll be more at risk of rabies and other diseases spread by animals
If you’re travelling to countries within Northern and Central Europe, North America or Australia – the likelihood of needing to receive vaccinations is low, however other countries particularly Africa, India and the far east or South America may require multiple.
If possible, book in for your travel vaccinations at least 8 weeks before your travels as some vaccinations need to be given well in advance or require multiple doses. To see which vaccinations you may require for your holiday, visit our Travel Clinic page and to book in for your vaccinations, call 01708 477577 or pop into the practice at 58 Billet Lane, Hornchurch, Essex.
