Pre-travel Consultation: Much more than a jab!
You’ve booked your flight, packed your suitcase and have your passport in hand, but have you remembered to take care of your health before you leave? Exposure to infectious diseases is one of the many hazards associated with travelling abroad; however, with proper planning, the risks of falling ill overseas can be significantly reduced.
At Airlie Women’s Clinic, our doctors will recommend vaccinations necessary for your specific itinerary, taking into account your age, medical history and any vaccines you’ve had previously. Furthermore, Airlie Women’s Clinic is an approved yellow fever vaccination centre.
Yellow fever is a potentially fatal disease and vaccination is recommended for travel into yellow fever endemic countries. However, just as importantly, proof of this vaccination is required by many countries, such as Australia, upon returning home, or when crossing borders into other countries, after visiting a yellow fever endemic zone. If you are not vaccinated, you may be denied entry or even quarantined! As an approved centre, once vaccinated against yellow fever we will issue you with an official International Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, required when passing through customs.
In addition to vaccination, your doctor will also provide important health advice that includes:
- Helpful prescription medications to take with you on your trip e.g. antimalarial medication, antibiotics, antinauseals, and updating your usual prescriptions.
- Essential over the counter supplies ;
- General measures to minimise the risk of you falling ill, from exposure to contaminated food / water, insects or environmental hazards such as climate and altitude.
- A signed letter for carrying prescription medicines through customs
- Emergency numbers and useful websites
Travellers are encouraged to see their GP well in advance of their departure date (at least six weeks) to allow sufficient time for vaccination to take effect, particularly where more than one dose is required. (e.g. rabies, hepatitis B, cholera, Japanese encephalitis) That said, for those that have left their preparations to the last minute, or are leaving at short notice, it is never too late to seek appropriate travel health advice.
To avoid unnecessarily “doubling up” on vaccines previously received, and to ensure a timely and efficient consultation, we ask that you bring along any documentation of past immunisations.
So, for all your pre-travel health needs, make Airlie Women’s Clinic your one-stop travel health service.