Travel Vaccinations
Planning a holiday abroad? Going on a business trip? Remember to check if you need travel vaccinations well in advance!
Travel outside the USA and Canada
When you travel abroad, you may be at risk of diseases you won’t encounter at home, so you should be vaccinated against them. You may also need certain vaccinations in order to enter specific countries, or if your travel plans include unusual activities.
Our travel health pharmacists can advise which vaccinations you need for which countries, or you can check the latest Government advice at [https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/health-safety/vaccines].
Get your timings right
It is very important you organize your vaccinations at least six weeks before departure, preferably eight, otherwise you may not be able to be fully vaccinated in time. Even if you have been vaccinated before, you may need a booster to keep your immune levels up.
At Clarks Pharmasave, we are authorized to administer a range of vaccinations right here in our community pharmacies including:
- Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- Japanese Encephalitis
- Meningococcal disease
- Pneumococcal disease
- Rabies
- Typhoid
- Varicella
- Yellow Fever
Contact us to discuss your requirements at least 8 weeks before departure, and we’ll devise a travel vaccination plan to ensure you get the cover you need.
Yellow fever vaccinations
Entry to many African countries requires being vaccinated against yellow fever. You must produce proof of vaccination in the form of the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis at the point of entry. If you have passed through an area or country where yellow fever is possible, you will also require proof of vaccination before entering countries which do not have yellow fever at present.
Shortage of yellow fever vaccines
Yellow fever vaccines are often in short supply, but particularly so in 2018. Call us at Clarks Pharmasave to check our current supplies of the vaccine.
Routine and travel vaccinations
During your lifetime, you’ve probably had various vaccinations, which should have been recorded on a card or your medical records. It’s important to check all of these are up to date, as these may be a requirement of entry too. These include routine vaccines (usually as part of your immunization schedule and usually covered by public health care):
- Hepatitis B
- Haemophilus influenzae b (meningitis)
- HPV (human papillomavirus)
- Meningococcal
- Measles, mumps and rubella
- Pertussis (whopping cough)
- Poliomyelitis
- Tetanus and diphtheria
- Pneumococcal
- Varicella (chicken pox)
For travel to locations outside North America and Western Europe, you could also require one or more of the following, depending on which country/ies you are visiting:
- European tick-borne encephalitis
- Cholera
- Hepatitis a
- Influenza
- Japanese encephalitis
- Meningococcal (if not part of previous vaccination)
- Rabies
- Typhoid fever
- Yellow fever
Malaria medications
Currently are a variety of anti-malarial preventative medications you can take in tablet form. The most common are suppressive prophylactics, which kill the malaria parasite if it enters your blood system. These vary in the way they should be taken, but nearly all require you to start taking them before you leave, and after you come home too.
A vaccine for malaria is in the very early stages of development, but it still a long way from being made available to the public.
So, ask at your local Clarks Pharmasave about anti-malarial drugs in plenty of time before your trip. Consult your physician if you are currently taking medication or have a long-term illness.
Disease prevention
You can greatly reduce your risk of contracting some of the diseases above by:
- Drinking bottled water only
- Avoiding foodstuffs washed in water, such as fresh salads
- Covering up and using insect repellants
- Sleeping under insect / mosquito nets
For a full range of travel medical supplies, from insect repellants to sea bands, pop into your local Clarks Pharmasave here in Simcoe. We’ll help you choose the best items for your trip, so you can relax and enjoy the adventure!