Careful Considerations About the Polio Vaccine

Polio or poliomyelitis is a serious disease caused by the poliovirus. This infection affects the throat and intestinal tract and can be life-threatening. Although this disease is incurable, it can be prevented with proper immunization. The timely administered polio vaccine in New York City and all across America since the mid-1950s has helped eradicate the disease from the US. However, some developing countries are still severely affected by the widespread; hence, the importance of getting vaccinated in childhood is stressed upon by healthcare professionals.

 

Who Needs Polio Vaccine?

Polio vaccine is mandated for all children before they can start school. Hence, the 4-dose schedule usually begins at two months, then at four months, 6-18 months, and finally between 4 to 6 years. In the areas where polio cases are the lowest, the vaccine can be administered as a stand-alone shot, or as part of a combination with other important immunizations.

Adults, on the other hand, need to polio vaccine in NYC if they weren’t vaccinated during childhood. Apart from this, adults are at risk of infection in case:

• They work with individuals carrying poliovirus.
• Are traveling to the high-risk regions.
• Are employed in the healthcare industry treating polio patients.

Who Should Not Get Vaccinated?

The CDC recommends that every patient must carefully record any side effects from previous vaccine dosages before scheduling the next vaccine shot. Any allergic reaction must be immediately reported to your healthcare provider to contain the reaction. Moreover, avoid getting a polio vaccine in New York if you’re feeling unwell. Infectious strains such as flu can trigger a reaction or hinder the effect of the vaccine. Thus, it’s advised to postpone the polio vaccine unless you’re in perfect health.

Lastly, pregnant women are suggested to avoid getting a polio vaccine unless under immediate risk of contracting the poliovirus.

Hence, all children and adults living or traveling to a high-risk region should schedule to get vaccinated for polio with the Travel Clinic of NYC. We provide complete immunization information and related travel medicine before leaving NYC. Contact our office to book your vaccine today.

 

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What is the Proper Treatment for Animal Bites?

Animal bites, whether by a domestic animal or a wild one, often carry harmful bacteria's which may cause an infection. Most animal bites may not cause life-threatening infections. However, sometimes minor teeth biting from a sick dog, cat, or raccoon may transmit the rabies infection to humans. It is a lethal disease that is considered life-threatening if left untreated. Even if the animal may not have rabies, there is still the risk of tetanus infection, which is the contractions of muscles that cause lockjaw and may even lead to death if not treated on time. Therefore, if you ever get bitten by an animal, make sure to get tetanus and rabies vaccination in New York to prevent infection risk. 

Many animals such as dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, bats, or foxes may get infected with rabies, and their bite may be fatal for humans no matter how minor the injury is. Therefore, it is recommended not to take an animal bite accident lightly. If you have been a victim of an animal bite, it is advised to get tetanus and rabies vaccination at your nearest rabies vaccination clinic in New York.

An infection from an animal bite may indicate the signs of infection in the following ways:

• If the wound feels sore, painful, swollen, or inflamed
• If the wound oozes pus or white/yellow fluid 
• If the bitten area feels numb
• If the infected body part is hard to move
• If you get a fever or chills after getting bitten
• If you experience weakness, fatigue, and night sweats
• If you have difficulty breathing 

If you notice any of these symptoms, it is best to seek immediate medical attention and get the proper treatment. 

Here are a few tips on what to do if you ever get bitten by an animal:

• First, you should assess the wound, and if it is bleeding, you should press a cloth on it to stop the bleeding. If the bite is fatal, you need to get to an ER for medical assistance. However, if the bite is not heavily bleeding or is minor, you should try to stop the bleeding and clean the wound.

• It is recommended to rinse the wound and clean it gently with soap before putting antibiotic cream on the wound. 

• Cover the wound with a sterile bandage to prevent infection. If the injury is superficial and nothing more than a scratch, you may not necessarily need to get a rabies shot, but regardless, you should get checked.

• If the wound is deep, you may need to get series of shots. So, make sure to visit your healthcare provider for medical assistance.

 

You can visit a walk-in travel clinic and get immediate treatment such as tetanus and rabies vaccination in New York City at any time. 

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What are the Symptoms and Treatment for Infection from Animal Bites?

The saliva of an animal often carries harmful bacteria, which may cause life-threatening diseases. Whether minor or major, animal bites can quickly get infected and spread to other parts of the body. It can put the person’s life at risk if they have been bitten by an infected animal. Thus, it must not be left untreated. 

 

Injuries resulting from dogs and cat bites are considered the most common animal bite accidents. However, the bite from any animal, whether domestic or wild, is often considered dangerous as it may get infected and turn fatal/life-threatening if left untreated. So, if you have been bitten by any animal such as a dog, cat, raccoon, skunk, bat, or fox, there is always a higher chance of rabies or tetanus infection. Therefore, it is recommended to get tetanus and rabies vaccination in New York to reduce the risk of infection when you experience an animal bite.

Rabies is a viral disease that may be life-threatening. Although it usually affects animals, it may also transmit to humans through the saliva at the wound. On the other hand, Tetanus, also known as “lockjaw,” is an infection that is caused due to a toxin that causes painful muscle contractions. As it affects the nerves, especially in the neck and jaw, it may create difficulty breathing and even lead to death. Therefore, whenever you have been a victim of an animal bite, it is crucial to seek immediate medical attention to get tetanus and rabies vaccination at your nearest clinic in New York.

 What are the Signs of Infection from an Animal Bite?

 Following are the common signs of infections from an animal bite:

• Redness, pain, swelling, and inflammation at the bite wound
• Pus or fluid oozing from the wound
• Soreness in areas near the bite
• Numbness around the bite
• If the infected limb is hard to move
• Swallowing in the lymph nodes
• Fever, chills, or tremor in the body
• Night sweats
• Fatigue or weakness in the body
• Breathing problems

 

If any of these symptoms appear during the first 24 hours of getting bit and are not getting better, seek professional medical attention as soon as possible. You can simply visit for a walk-in consultation and immediate treatment at an emergency clinic or a travel clinic to get tetanus and rabies vaccination in New York City. Contact our team for any queries.

 

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Why Must Overseas Travelers Get Yellow Fever Vaccination?

Yellow Fever is a viral illness that can be life-threatening in severe cases. It is usually spread by mosquitos and presents flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, and vomiting. Although it may not be life-threatening in most cases, it can cause severe complications for certain people, such as those with a weak immune system, health conditions, or old age. It can cause severe vomiting, jaundice, bleeding, shock, and multiple organ failure in almost 15% of infected patients within 48 hours of infection, leading to death.  

Currently, the antiviral treatment for Yellow Fever has not been developed. However, the vaccine for the illness is available, which can prevent travelers from getting infected. Thus, the Yellow Fever Immunization in New York is the most effective way for overseas travelers in America to protect themselves against this nasty illness.  

The Yellow Fever Illness is most prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Trinidad, the Caribbean, Central and South America. So, if you are traveling to any of these countries or have a flight that passes through any of the high-risk areas, it is crucial to get the Yellow Fever Immunization vaccination from a government facility or travel clinic in New York. 

 In some regions where yellow fever is prevalent, laws have been made to mandate overseas travelers to get vaccinated at least 10 days before their departure. Therefore, travelers may be required to provide proof of the vaccination when traveling to or from high-risk countries affected by yellow fever to prevent outbreaks. 

 Risk of Side-Effects of the Yellow Fever Vaccination

Like any other vaccine, the Yellow Fever vaccine also has some side effects. Although the Yellow Fever vaccine is mild, most individuals may experience low fever, headache, and sore muscles after the vaccination. The common side effects usually subside within 24-48 hours of the vaccination and can be easily treated with over-the-counter medications. However, as per CDC, the risk of severe/life-threatening side effects from the vaccine is approximately 1.1 per 100,000 people vaccinated under 60 and 3.4 per 100,000 in people more than 60 years old. Thus, the complications are highly rare. 

If you are planning to travel overseas, it is highly recommended to visit the travel clinic in New York for a health assessment to determine whether you should get vaccinated (if you haven’t already). Get in touch with our team to schedule a consultation.

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Why do you Need Yellow Fever Vaccination Before Traveling Abroad?

Yellow Fever is one of the most prominent mosquito viral infections which have plagued different parts of the world, including Sub-Saharan Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Trinidad, the Caribbean, Central, and South America. It is a severe infection, and currently, there are no antiviral treatments for curing this disease.

However, the disease can be prevented with a Yellow Fever vaccine. Therefore, if you are planning to travel to a country where yellow fever is prevalent, it is highly recommended to get a Yellow Fever shot in NYC. Moreover, you might be required to provide proof of the vaccination when traveling to and from countries affected by yellow fever to prevent the active outbreak of the illness. 

What is Yellow Fever?

Yellow Fever is one of the nastiest viral illnesses that is spread by mosquitos. Its symptoms are similar to flu. It causes fever, headache, muscle pain, nausea, and vomiting. As per reports, approx. 15% of infected patients experience severe symptoms such as vomiting, jaundice, bleeding, shock, and multiple organ failure within 48 hours of infection.

Although antiviral treatment is not yet developed for Yellow Fever, American travelers can safeguard themselves against the virus by getting a Yellow Fever Immunization shot. If you live in New York, you can get the Yellow Fever Immunization vaccination in NYC from the travel clinics. The travelers are advised to get vaccinated at least 10 days prior to their departure.

Are there any Side Effects of the Yellow Fever Vaccination?

The Yellow fever vaccine is quite mild. Individuals may experience low fever, headache, and sore muscles after the vaccination. However, these symptoms usually subside within 24-48 hours and can be easily treated with over-the-counter pain relief medications prescribed by the doctor. But in rare cases, some people may also experience difficulty breathing and swallowing. In that case, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately.

If you want to get vaccinated with yellow fever vaccine, visit the travel clinics in NYC today. Get in touch with our team to schedule an appointment.

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