When traveling to other states, you are often likely to experience health-related problems that you won’t usually face in your home. So as to minimize your chances of becoming ill whilst traveling, it is important to find out beforehand if any special immunizations and drugs may be needed before traveling to the area you intend to go to.
What to do?
Make an appointment with your physician: Visit the community health centre or doctor before you travel for the latest information and medication choices. Ideally, you should schedule the initial appointment for immunizations and travel health information around five to six weeks prior to traveling. This is largely because you generally must wait around for a few weeks following the final dose of your immunization program before you are completely protected.
Know that immunizations you need: Knowing which immunizations you need will not depend on your travel destination alone. Your doctor will also take other factors into account including the length of your stay, whether you intend to remain in rural areas or adhere to the hotels, your vaccination history, any medications you are taking and any allergies you might have. Regardless of your travel plans, it is essential to be certain you’re up with routine immunizations like polio, tetanus, flu and childhood ailments including mumps, rubella and measles. Moreover, overseas travelers might also require immunization against cholera, hepatitis A and B, rabies, meningococcal meningitis, typhoid, tuberculosis and yellow fever. Special considerations to remember:Remember that immunizations might not be acceptable for everybody.
If you are pregnant
As an example, if you are pregnant, it’s far better to prevent some immunizations. Children and babies are a special case for that which you will need to consult your physician. Other special considerations to keep in mind include any responses you might have had in the past to immunizations, or whether you’re immunocompromised (i.e. you are HIV-positive or taking steroids) for some reason. In such a circumstance, it’s a good idea to prevent some immunizations. You can discuss this with your physician before traveling.
Learn about the side effects: Like any other kind of medicine, immunizations may have undesirable side effects. These are typically unpleasant compared to being dangerous, though serious allergic reactions may occur sometimes. There’s no clinical evidence to suggest they can affect your immune system by any means. Some of the most frequent side effects include soreness in the injection area, sometimes with redness and swelling, and perhaps a mild fever or a feeling of not being well. Many people traveling overseas are concerned about the prospect of getting sick. With a little bit of advanced planning and preventative measures, you can significantly improve your odds of having a superb travel experience.
