The thought of African Safari, The Big Five and traveling to the most distant land brings joy and smiles. But the thought of travel health, immunizations and health related issues can bring the joy down for some of us. Imagine…the shots, pills and side effects.
Dr. Mark Wise, a family physician specializing in travel and tropical medicine has written a great book to help us prepare ourselves for long-term travel to developing countries. His book, Travel Health Guide: Everything you need to know before you leave, while you're away, after you're back has everything from bites and stings to pre-travel innoculation to medical care abroad.
The CDC is also a great resource for travelers preparing short term or long term travels. For example if you are traveling to Brazil, search under Brazil.
These are the steps we are taking:
1. Visit our primary physician for annual check up 6 months before traveling.
2. Look at the routine/required/recommended immunizations needed for Brazil.
3. Find out which immunizations we already have, which we don't and need.
4. Make sure our routine shots, such as measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, polio virus vaccine are up to date. We would also go for Meningococcal Meningitis, Hep A and Hep B for international travels.
5. Ask for recommendation from the primary physician for clinic or physicians to go to for the immunizations if they administer.
6. Make appointments for immunizations 4-6 weeks before travel date. For Hep A and Hep B you need to check with your physician. You need 2 and 3 doses.
Here are estimated prices for immunizations taken from CDC (Price is different with a private doctor and different drugs brand name):
Hep A (2 doses) each $30
Hep B (3 doses) each $35
Typhoid (last for 2 years) $50
Meningococcal Meningitis (last for 2 years) $90
Yellow Fever (last for 10 years) $85
Tetanus (TD) (last for 10 years) $27
Polio (need update as adult, last a life time) $55
Measles/Mumps/Rubella (last for life time) $50
With Yellow Fever immunization, you need to have a yellow health card called "International Certificates of Vaccination", dated in a specific way.
For example 10 May 2012 or May 10, 2012. NOT 05/10/12. They read dates differently outside the United States.
For example 10 May 2012 or May 10, 2012. NOT 05/10/12. They read dates differently outside the United States.
There are three terms to understand when looking for information about immunizations/vaccinations/shots according to Dr. Mark Wise in his book:
Routine: Everyone, traveling or not, should be up to date with these.
Required: Proof of vaccination will be needed to enter certain countries or to cross certain international borders.
Recommended: These should be given according to your risk.
Traveling to the ends of the earth is sure fun if we are in great health and are armed with as much information as possible. There are no perfections in life and it sure isn't a perfect life when you travel. Hope this information helps you too as you consider or are preparing to travel internationally. Most countries we traveled to do not require immunizations other than the routine shots. However, traveling to Africa would be in the different category.
Please leave your comment below. Would love to hear your opinion on travel health.
View Claudia Looi's profile
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Excellent and important info! Great checklist for travelers to print and save! Thanks Claudia!
Claudia!
What a timely article for us as we prepare to travel to Africa to share the gospel! Are you going with us? This was on my list of things to do soon: find out which immunizations we need and the cost. Very helpful. Now we need to see what our insurance pays for and if they are better priced than the health department.
We just joined a travel club. We owned a timeshare many years ago, but those were lean years and we never really used it. This club is not like that. It is strictly a travel service that gets you dicounts at every place you travel, especially condos and resorts. You own it for life and will it to your children even. Low annual fee, and really great prices. Your reminder of the value of travel and new experiences with your loved ones played into this decision for me. We usually only travel for missions, and take weekend trips for ourselves, but his way we hope to afford some real vacations and help our children to start making some great memories too. Even our weekend beach trips will be in nicer hotels on the beach for the same prices we pay now. If you are interested in looking at what they offer, we are able to share our discounts with anyone we like. We will never use up the 8000 points per year they give us anyway. I am not trying to sell anything (I couldn’t if I wanted to), just share some deals.
Anyway, thanks for your timely advice and encouragement. Pray for me, NOT looking forward to these shots!!
Blessings,
Loring
Great info! Thanks for sharing your steps with us. Have a wonderful day
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