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Vaccinations &
Immunisations
Immunisation, or
vaccination (the two terms are interchangeable), is the process whereby a
vaccine is administered to stimulate a protective immune response. This
immune response prevents severe illness in the recipient should they come
in contact with the disease.
Vaccination is, by and large, a highly effective means of protecting not
only the individual, but also the wider community. Prevention is not only
better than cure, it’s more cost-effective. Immunisation also eliminates
the human ‘cost’ in terms of pain and suffering associated with illness.
Indeed, some diseases can be fatal.
For travellers,
vaccination offers a means of avoiding dangerous infections that may be
encountered while travelling abroad. While there is a vaccine for many of
the more common travel-related health risks, there is no vaccine for some
life-threatening diseases present in many developing countries, notably
malaria and HIV/AIDS.
Vaccines come in
various forms:
- Injectable -
subcutaneous, intramuscular and intradermal.
- Oral - capsules
and soluble.
(NB - most
vaccinations are administered by injection.)
The protection
offered by vaccines takes time to take effect. The time taken to reach
peak strength may vary according to the vaccine, the number of doses
required and whether the recipient has been vaccinated previously against
the disease. Because of this delay, travellers are advised to book an
appointment with Travelvax at least a month (six weeks, if possible)
prior to departure.
Call 1300 360 164
for details and costs
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