Once you buy your tickets or as soon as you decide on a country to travel to, one of the first places to go to is your local travel health clinic, as they can help to provide advice, travel essentials and book vaccinations so you are protected as possible wherever you choose to go.
As public health situations can change in a given country and can be affected by your chosen itinerary, checking out the TravelHealthPro website can provide advice and updates on potential outbreaks to be aware of.
Ideally, you should visit a travel clinic at least six weeks before you are due to travel, but there are times where that simply is not possible. Sometimes, you need to urgently travel, other times family and work commitments mean that there is no free time to book an appointment.
Whilst it is not ideal to miss out on important vaccinations that can reduce your chance of contracting an illness abroad, do not feel as if you have left it too late to do anything.
Any steps you take to protect yourself will be better than nothing, and a pharmacist at a travel clinic can help provide you with everything they can to keep you safe.
Go To The Clinic As Soon As You Can
As soon as you are able to, seek advice on which vaccinations and medications you need. They can help provide you with advice on what you can do to avoid issues if you cannot delay your travel.
They can also let you know if there might be issues with entering another country, such as the MenACWY vaccine if you are travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj.
If you cannot complete a course of medication you are required to, it is better to know as early as possible so you can make alternative arrangements.
Take Accelerated Courses
Some vaccinations can be provided on a quicker schedule than is typical, because there are inevitably going to be cases where transport simply cannot wait.
One example of this is the rabies vaccine; whilst it is typically provided as three doses over three to four weeks, all three doses can be provided within a week if required.
Take Whichever Vaccines You Can In The Time
Some vaccines take several days or weeks to fully take effect, or will only provide partial protection if not all of the required doses are taken. Any protection is more advisable than risking your health.
Last-minute vaccinations can help if you contract a disease that takes days or weeks to fully incubate, as they will provide some help or can minimise your chances of contracting a disease alongside other preventative measures.
Even a vaccine course taken the day you plan to travel is better than nothing, as it will produce the necessary disease-fighting antibodies once you have been inoculated.
Start Taking Malaria Tablets Now If You Need To
If you are travelling to a country at high risk of malaria, you should start taking antimalarial tablets as soon as possible to build up a resistance to the infection once you arrive in the country.
Some malaria tablets can be started a few days before travel, whilst others need to be taken a few weeks beforehand.
Regardless, as soon as you can start building immunity, the safer your journey will be.
Ask About Other Preventative Measures
Most vaccinations are designed to work alongside travel safety advice that minimises your exposure to particular diseases, and reducing this exposure can help to protect you whilst vaccinations take effect.
For example, malaria and tick-borne encephalitis, which are spread by infected mosquitoes and ticks respectively, can be reduced by wearing loose protective clothing, a mosquito net at night and insect repellents to minimise the chance of a bite that could spread the disease.
Similarly, avoid animals in areas where there is a high risk of rabies, as this disease spreads by scratches, bites or licks by an infected animal.
Cholera is spread through tainted water, which means that it can be avoided by not having ice in drinks, avoiding shellfish, and not eating uncooked fruits and vegetables that have been prepared using tainted water.
Contact Your Clinic After You Return
Sometimes you may need to complete a course of medication or round of vaccinations to ensure you are protected once you return home.
It is also important to consult either a travel clinic or your GP if you notice any unusual symptoms upon returning, such as fever, rash, abdominal pain or blood in bodily fluids.