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Visiting a Travel Clinic and Being Prepared

Most of us have visited our local Travel Clinic hoping to get the necessary information related to an upcoming trip, only to find ourselves bombarded with questions we find we have no answers to.

As soon as you are aware of an upcoming trip it is essential to plan your visit as soon as possible so you have the luxury of getting everything sorted out in the best possible time frame.

Where are you going?

As well as the obvious personal information, it is a good idea to write down or take a copy of your schedule - the places you will visit as well as any stopovers on route to your destination.

Find out if you will be in a rural location or in the city. Write down your departure date and when you hope to return. By having this information a Travel Health advisor will be able to sort out the particular recommendations for each of the areas you will be visiting.

Vaccination History

Vaccination history is essential, especially when you are visiting a Travel Clinic that might not be linked with your own family doctor surgery, where your medical history and immunisation records would be held.

If you have a vaccination card take that along with you. If you have no record, try to think about the places you visited on your last trip and whether or not you had vaccinations. Many Travel Clinic Specialists are good at working out the puzzle and helping you determine which vaccinations are up to date.

If you think you might have had injections at your family doctor surgery, give them a call and try to get some dates from them. It is especially important to have a record of any 'live' vaccinations you might have had in the last three weeks before visiting a Travel Clinic. Live Vaccinations would include Yellow Fever, Polio or BCG.

Malaria Advice

If you are going to a Malaria zone, your advisor will want to discuss malaria medication or prevention with you. There are several kinds of medication available and they will be dependent on where you are going, for how long and whether you have any allergies or pre-existing condition that could affect you if taken with existing medication.

Your advisor will also need to know if you have taken malaria medication before and if you had a reaction to it. Obviously, if you have had a reaction in the past to the 'best' choice for where you are going, an alternative will need to be found.

Past Medical History

If you visit a clinic other than your family doctor Surgery, it would be a good idea to write down any medical conditions from which you suffer, as well as any medication you might be taking. Your advisor will need to be aware of any allergies you might have, especially to eggs and antibiotics, as small components of these items can be found in some vaccinations. If you have had a severe reaction to an injection in the past, even as a child, you should inform the Travel Health Advisor.

Finally let your advisor know what activities you are intending to take part in while you are away. This will help in giving you the best advice for your specific trip. For instance, are you travelling alone, are you intending on spending a few days near the beach on the way home? All information you give will be held in confidence and this is a good time to discuss any worries you might have.

If you are suffering from a fever or any other infection on the day you go for your appointment do let your Travel health advisor know.

As well as vaccinations, your advisor will offer you advice on a whole range of topics from safe sex, sun care, food and water safety and the prevention and treatment of diarrhoea. It is important to remember that only 5-10% of all travel related illness is preventable by injection - your Travel Health Advisor can offer that preventative advice.

In all, a visit to your local Travel clinic can be a positive learning experience if you go prepared. A visit is often done in a rushed manner as an after thought, but with good planning and vital information at hand it might just make the difference - a healthy business trip.