RW - foRWard Health & Wellbeing eMag - June 26 - Flipbook - Page 9
Travel is one of life’s
great privileges. It opens
the door to new cultures,
landscapes, food, family
connections and once-ina-lifetime experiences.
But while most of us
are quick to organise
passports, 昀氀ights,
accommodation and
travel insurance, there is
one important item that
often gets left too late:
travel vaccinations.
Vaccination may not feel
as exciting as booking
a beachfront hotel or
planning a mountain
hike, but it can be one
of the most important
parts of preparing for
an overseas trip. A
short appointment with
a GP, pharmacist or
travel health clinic can
help protect you from
serious illnesses, reduce
your risk of bringing
infections back into
Australia and, in some
cases, prevent problems
at the border.
Travel health starts
before you leave
Many infectious diseases
are uncommon in
Australia because of
strong immunisation
programs, sanitation and
public health systems.
However, this does not
mean the risk disappears
when we travel.
Different countries
have different disease
patterns, vaccination
requirements, sanitation
standards and outbreak
risks.
The Australian
Government advises
travellers to speak with
a doctor or travel health
clinic before travelling
overseas, ideally 6 to 8
weeks before departure.
This gives your body
time to develop
protection and allows
enough time for vaccines
that require more than
one dose.
This is especially
important if you are
travelling to regions
where diseases such
as hepatitis A, typhoid,
yellow fever, Japanese
encephalitis, rabies,
meningococcal disease
or polio may be a risk.
It also provides an
opportunity to check
whether your routine
immunisations are up to
date, including measles,
mumps and rubella,
tetanus, diphtheria,
whooping cough, polio,
chickenpox, in昀氀uenza
and COVID-19.
