Questions and Answers about Traveller’s Health
Q. Why should I know more about my overseas trip?
A. Travel overseas is associated not only with sun, fun and relaxation. Many countries have health risks that aren’t present in Australia. As a result, it’s important to find out how to stay healthy while travelling overseas.
This doesn’t only include what vaccinations may be required, but also what medications to take with you to treat the common travel diarrhoea bugs or which insect repellent might be useful to protect yourself against Dengue fever, Chikungunya or even Malaria.
Q. The website has so much information. Where should I begin?
A. We suggest that you start by going to DESTINATION RISKS. Here we inform you of what might be required, recommended or routine for your overseas holiday, as well as other general health risks.
Q. How soon before I travel should I make an appointment?
A. Coming to our clinics the day before you travel is better than not coming at all. I Ideally, you should make an appointment 6 to 8 weeks before travel. This is mainly because vaccines take time to become effective and some require a series of immunisations given over a period of time.
Q. What should I take with me on my trip?
A. Our Travelvax travel health specialists will discuss with you in detail what is recommended for your trip. This will include which diarrhoea kits to take for treating travellers’ diarrhoea, or which insect repellents are most effective in preventing insect and mosquito borne diseases such as yellow fever, dengue or chikungunya fever, malaria, tick-borne encephalitis, Japanese encephalitis, American or African Trypanosomiasis, among others.
We have a range of first aid kits and accessories such as blister packs for those magnificent treks through the Himalayas or the Inca trail in Peru, Reef Rash kits for the surfing holidays and Needle and Syringe packs when going off the beaten track or through developing countries.
Washing your hands thoroughly and often is the best method to avoid transmission of faecal-oral diseases such as Hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and Polio. For the occasions when soap and water aren’t available, we stock alcohol-based hand gels.
Taking prescribed medications out of Australia may be illegal. Before travel, check if there are restrictions for your destinations. This information is available at: Medicare Australia’s Travelling with PBS medication website or call their enquiry line on 1800 500 147)
Q. Where can I find out information about safety and security?
A. The Department of Health has a very useful website that has information about safety and security, as well as contact details for consulates and embassies. Go to: www.smartraveller.gov.au
Q. Where can I find information about travel health insurance?
A. Travelvax is in partnership with Cover More insurance, the largest travel insurer in Australia. Visit www.travelvax.com.au for an on-line quote and 10% discount. Please consult the PDS before deciding whether this product is suitable for your needs and circumstances.
VACCINES:
Q. What is the difference between a required vaccination and a recommended vaccination?
A. Currently there are very few required vaccinations. A ‘required’ vaccination is one that is compulsory by law; this is usually the case if a country is attempting to prevent the spread of a particular disease. This includes Australia, which requires proof of Yellow Fever vaccination for all travellers over 1 year of age entering Australia within 6 days of having stayed overnight or longer in a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, as listed in the Weekly Epidemiological Record.
Another vaccine that may be required is the Meningococcal Meningitis Vaccine. It is a mandatory requirement for all travellers over three months of age travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.
Although not a legal requirement, a ‘recommended’ vaccination is suggested as a way to protect the traveller from a disease that is prevalent in a particular country. For information on which vaccinations may be recommended for your itinerary, go to destination risks or call our travel health information line on 1300 360 164.
Q. Can I go to any doctor to get my Yellow Fever vaccination?
A. No. Not all medical centres or doctors are licensed to administer Yellow Fever vaccines. The administration of these particular vaccinations is governed by International Health regulations and therefore only doctors or centres approved by the Health Department can provide them and issue an international vaccination certificate.
All Travelvax Australia clinics are Yellow Fever registered clinics. Please call our Travelvax information line on 1300 360 164 for the location of your nearest clinic or go to our website and look under ‘About Us’ and our clinics.
MALARIA
Q. How do I know if there is a malaria risk in the country I will be visiting?
A. Many countries are endemic for malaria, particularly across Asia, South America, Africa and the Middle East. In our clinics, our travel health specialists check your itinerary and determine whether there is a malaria risk and which malaria medication would be best suited for your trip.
Q. Can children take malaria tablets?
A. There are certain medications that can be used to prevent malaria in children; this is usually dependent on their age, weight and destination. In a Travelvax consultation, our travel health specialists will determine whether there is a malaria risk in your itinerary and which malaria medication will be best suited for your child.
DISEASE RISKS, OUTBREAKS, NATURAL DISASTERS
Q. Where do I find information about general disease risks or recent outbreaks in the country I plan to visit?
A. Travelvax Australia’s health alerts at www.travelvax.com.au contain up to date information on outbreaks, natural disasters and disease risks. You can also call our toll-free travel health information line on 1300 360 164.
Travelvax Australia also publishes a 6 weekly newsletter. You can subscribe at /home/home/Newsletter.html We summarise any news reports or articles from the World Health Organization (WHO), Centres for Disease Control (CDC), Eurosurveillance, Promed ,and other travel health sources.
SPECIAL GROUPS
Q. What precautions or vaccinations should be considered for children when they travel?
A. Travelling with children requires more preparation, vigilance and flexibility, with two of the key considerations being the age of the children and availability of good quality healthcare while away.
General health information on this topic can be found at: Travelling Safely with Infants and Children. Specific vaccination information is accessible at: Vaccine Recommendations for Infants and Children from the CDC.
Q. Are pregnant or breastfeeding women at any particular risk when travelling?
A. The Centre for Disease control has some useful information about Pregnant women and travel. Pregnancy in the first trimester may not be advised due to the high risk of miscarriage. Pregnant women should visit their health care provider before making the decision to travel.
According to the CDC the second trimester (18–24 weeks) is the safest time for a healthy pregnant woman to travel. Some vaccines are not recommended during pregnancy and some travel-related activities can result in danger to the mother or foetus. Exposure to certain diseases, such as malaria, can also endanger a pregnant woman’s health or that of her unborn child. For more detailed information about the pregnant traveller, see the CDC's Planning for a Healthy Pregnancy and Travelling While Pregnant. Further useful information can be found on the website Pregnant Traveler.
There are many advantages to breastfeeding an infant during travel, but do remember that any travel with an infant has its challenges. For more detailed information about the breast feeding traveller, see the CDC’s Breastfeeding and Travel.