Is The Yellow Fever Vaccine Mandatory?

Holidays are always fun!

After all, who doesn’t like to spend quality time with their loved ones?

So, you’re planning an exotic getaway with your family and looking forward to making some beautiful, cherishable memories. The least you could ever imagine is seeing your loved one falling sick or getting infected with a disease during a trip. This is why it is important to visit the nearest travel clinic in your area a few weeks before boarding. Depending on your holiday destination, your doctor will recommend the right vaccine to you and offer you guidelines to stay protected throughout the trip.

However, if you’re visiting any countries in South America and East Africa, then getting a yellow fever vaccine or shots is important. When it comes to yellow fever vaccination, it is mandatory to receive the injection at least 10 days before traveling to a yellow fever endemic area.

Before you visit a travel clinic in NYC to receive a yellow fever shot, here’s what you need to know!

How to find out whether you need a yellow fever vaccine or not?

One of the important tasks before traveling to a foreign country is visiting a travel clinic. Depending on your holiday destination and your history of vaccination, your healthcare provider will tell you whether you need yellow fever shots or not.

Who is not eligible for the yellow fever vaccine?

Well, most healthy people are the right candidate to receive the yellow fever vaccine. However, there are a few people who are not medically eligible for this vaccine, such as:

• Pregnant women 
• Infants less than age 9 months
• Any person who is allergic to chicken, eggs, or products of egg and chicken
• People with suppressed immune systems. This includes people who have blood cancer, AIDS, and receiving cancer radiotherapy or chemotherapy. 

What to do if you’re not medically eligible for a yellow fever vaccine, but requires you to visit a country prone to yellow fever?

In such a case, you will need a letter of Medical Waiver from a certified yellow fever vaccine provider. However, it is advisable to confirm with the concerned embassy before your departure.

To wind up
Please remember, the yellow fever vaccine is mandatory if traveling to any yellow fever prone countries. In fact, in some countries, you’re required to show your yellow fever vaccine certificate at the airport to make an entry.

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The Most Essential Immunizations For Your Travel

 Have you ever thought you could catch a disease while you are traveling? Of course not! Right? Well, sorry to break it to you that you are at the risk of catching various diseases common in particular regions. Thus, to ensure you have happy and healthy travel experience, you need to have important travel immunizations required to enter a certain country. 

What are Travel vaccinations and Shots?

Travel vaccines are travel shots that are provided by a travel health specialist, to help you protect against diseases when you step into a new country.

So before you plan an international trip or a trip to a new place, consult a doctor. Keep in mind you need to have travel shots 4-5 weeks earlier. Many travel immunizations take time to show their effect. So be sure to get vaccinated at the right time. 

Common Travel vaccinations required before traveling internationally 

In countries, diseases and illnesses are dynamic. CDC website provides the latest up-to-date information on travel health. So, you need to check the updates from time to time.

Here are some common travel immunizations :

• Tetanus/Diphtheria: booster is recommended every 10 years.
• Polio: If immunized, get a booster before traveling abroad.
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella: If you are born after 1957, one dose of each is required; if it is given after 1967, the vaccination is good for life.
• Yellow Fever: Vaccine is valid for 10 years.

Some countries will check the yellow card on your arrival to their country. A yellow card is required in countries where yellow fever is present. Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended by the doctor when visiting developing countries in regions such as Eastern Europe, Africa, the South Pacific, Asia, and South and Central America.

If you are traveling to certain countries in Europe (such as  Portugal, Eastern Europe, and Spain), Africa and South America and Asi a, Hepatitis B vaccination is essential. 

To put it to its end, travel shots are highly essential in your international trips. If you are a citizen in New York and searching for Travel clinics nearby, be sure to visit a renowned and certified travel clinic.

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Traveling to Africa, Central or South America? Get vaccinated!

Winter holidays have already started. Some people may be planning to spend holidays in their home cities with family and loved ones, while others are thinking to go for an exotic getaway.

If you belong to the latter group and planning a family trip to the Caribbean, Africa, Central or South America, then make sure you’re updated with your yellow fever shot. This is because these regions have witnessed several outbreaks of deadly yellow fever virus and are still yellow fever prone areas. If during your trip, you travel through yellow fever zones, the risk of getting infected with yellow fever may become higher without yellow fever vaccine. Therefore, it is important that you and your loved ones are immunized against the yellow fever virus before boarding.

Before you visit the nearest travel clinic in your area, it is good to know about yellow fever and yellow fever vaccine. With this information, you will be able to make the right decision for yourself and can make the most of your trip without risking your health.
Here are the things you need to know about yellow fever and yellow fever vaccine.

What is yellow fever?

Well, it is a viral infection that is transferred by “Aedes aegypti” - a mosquito known for transmitting Zika virus. This type of mosquito is commonly found in tropical regions of America and Africa.

When is the right time to get a yellow fever vaccine? 

Basically, the yellow fever vaccine is created for two purposes:

To prevent yellow fever from spreading one country to another
To protect people traveling to yellow fever prone countries or regions

Since you’re traveling to a yellow fever prone area, you need to visit a travel clinic at least 10 days before boarding. This is because yellow fever vaccine takes 10 days to become viable after administration. However, most health care professionals recommend to get a yellow fever vaccination a month before entering a country with higher risks of yellow fever.

How long does a yellow fever vaccine last? 

The yellow fever vaccine may last up to ten years. If it has been more than ten years that you were administered with a yellow fever vaccine, then you should get a yellow fever booster shot.

In conclusion
Please remember, unlike other vaccines, yellow fever vaccine gets a certification, which is proof that you've been vaccinated with yellow fever vaccine. Also, you’ll be asked to show your yellow fever certification at the airport before entering any of these countries.

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Things You Can Expect During Your Travel Clinic Appointment

So, you’re planning to visit East Asia with your family during winter vacations? Everyone loves spending their holidays away from their home country to some exotic place. Probably, you already might have started a discussion about your upcoming trip to the dinner table. Obviously, each family member has different desires and wishes when it comes to spending holidays in a foreign country. One person wants to do adventurous things, or the other just want to visit historical places and monuments. Just two months to go and counting would have started by now, hotels are booked, flight dates are confirmed, packing almost done and the places to be visited are also decided. 

Now, you must be relaxed - but you’re forgetting something. Have you visited a travel clinic in NYC? This is the most important thing you need to do before boarding, especially if you’re traveling to East Asia. Here, most countries are developing or under-developed. Hence, the risk of acquiring diseases like typhoid, malaria, yellow fever, hepatitis A, and rabies is high. By visiting a travel clinic, you will get to know whether or not you and your loved ones need any travel vaccination. And your health care provider will also instruct about the precautions you must take to keep diseases or illnesses at bay. 

Before you visit the best travel clinic in NYC, you must know what to expect during your travel clinic appointment. 

Bring your immunization records and your detailed itinerary, including travel dates, planned activities, who you’re traveling with, and exactly where you are going – the more specific, the better. This is important because the nurse or doctor’s advice will be tailored to your health needs and the places you’re visiting. Make a list of any health conditions and medications you are taking.

Preparing for your appointment at the travel clinic 

Usually, the travel consultation will take one hour or longer depending on how complex your itinerary is and wait for times post administration of your vaccinations. Do not forget to bring the necessary documents such as previous vaccination records, health history form and detailed itinerary of your trip. If possible, try to book your travel clinic appointment 6 weeks before boarding. 

What to expect during your travel clinic appointment?

During your travel clinic appointment, a nurse or doctor will ask you a few questions from your itinerary to your plans for the trip. Here are some of the common questions you can expect:

• When are you traveling? Which country are you planning to visit? 
• How long are you planning to stay there?
• Are you traveling for work, vacation, study, or any other reasons?
• Where are you going to stay - hotels, local homes, on a ship, or camping?
• Are you taking any medications?
• Are you up-to-date with your vaccinations? 

Depending on your needs, your doctor can recommend you vaccinations and medications according to the place you’re visiting. 

After your travel clinic appointment?

If your doctor has prescribed you any medications, such as antibiotics to treat Traveller’s Diarrhea or antimalarial medication, go to a pharmacy to fill prescriptions and refill other important medications.

In conclusion 

Always remember, prevention is better than the cure. You definitely want to bring lots of memories from your trip, rather than sickness or disease. So, to have the best and safe foreign trip, visiting a travel clinic is crucial at least a few weeks before boarding.

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5 Mistakes To Avoid To Have The Best Time Abroad

Whether it’s your first holiday in a foreign country or it’s your regular thing for business meetups and conferences, in any case, make sure to double check your travel-checklist before boarding. Of course, you wouldn’t want to ruin your trip due to common travel pitfalls, right? 

If you’re considering to visit abroad, here are the most common mistakes to avoid while planning your trip or holidays. From packing the wrong clothes or shoes to failing to visit your local travel clinic, and neglecting the importance of travel insurance, there are some of the mistakes that most people make while planning an international trip. 

Here are some of them -

Failing to visit your local travel clinic - Well, it is essential to visit your local travel clinic to know whether or not you need any vaccinations before traveling abroad. They provide a range of preventative healthcare services, such as a travel vaccine in NY, medication for altitude sickness, diarrhea, and insect repellents to keep them at bay during the trip. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you need to visit a travel clinic at least four to six weeks before your trip. This will give time for any recommended vaccines to start showing effect. 

Packing the wrong clothes and shoes - Everyone wants their trip to have the same glamour and comfort as in the “Real Housewives.” But that doesn’t happen in reality for many of us. You love to wear a short dress and pointed high heels. However, they won’t work while taking a stroll around a snow-covered road. In fact, you either fall sick or obtain an injury from an accident by slipping over the snow. And if your trip involves a hike through the rain forest, then you should definitely pack knee length which will not only protect you but also they are comfortable to wear. For this reason, it is important to check the weather conditions of the place you’re planning to visit and make sure you know what you’ll be doing during your trip. 

Overlooking the importance of travel insurance - We humans have a tendency to look down “add-ons” while purchasing anything. But when it comes to travel insurance, this is something you need to take a second look at. Depending on the place you’re visiting and activities you’re planning to do, your travel insurance can protect you from the unwanted hassle of extra expenses if your trip failed to go as you imagined or planned. Hence, it is crucial to get travel insurance before you visit aboard. It can provide you with various travel packages or options for emergency and medical services, accidental death, and travel and baggage protection. 

In closing 

Apart from these, the other mistakes you’re likely to make include forgetting to lock your valuables, packing your medicines in the suitcase and more. Each mistake has its own role in ruining your trip. However, if you fail to visit your local travel clinic, you’re putting your health at higher risks. Planning an international trip? If so, make sure to visit the best travel clinic in your area to get travel vaccine in NY. 

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The Most Important Travel Vaccines

From malaria to bird flu, travelers are exposed to many severe diseases around the globe. Thus it is better to be prepared than scared.

Beyond popping the necessary dose of multivitamins and keeping a sanitizer before boarding a plane, travelers must get the travel vaccines in NY that are suggested or needed for entering certain countries.

To protect yourself and others from international maladies, make sure you’re up to date on immunizations you will need before your next adventure.

Travel Immunizations in NYC: Overview

It’s important to note — take care of immunizations as soon as possible! Many vaccinations require several days or weeks to take effect; you will want to anticipate any “holding period” well before you have to travel. The CDC recommends that travelers visit their doctor four to six weeks before an international trip.

Epidemics and illness abroad are constantly changing. The best online resource for overseas health is a Centers for Disease Control’s Travel Information website. We will provide you with an overview of immunizations, but be sure to check the CDC website for the latest up-to-date information on international health. 

Mentioned below are some of the common vaccinations and booster requirements

• Tetanus/Diphtheria: Boosters every 10 years.
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella: If born after 1957, one dose of each; if given after 1967, the vaccination is good for life.
• Polio: If immunized, get a booster before traveling abroad.
• Yellow Fever: Immunization valid for 10 years.

If you cannot receive a required vaccination for health reasons, you should carry an official note from your doctor verifying the condition.

If you need to get a vaccination while traveling, note that some immunization clinics in developing countries may be unsanitary. In some cases, clinics may use the same needle repeatedly. If conditions appear suspect, check with your embassy for recommendations on acceptable clinics.

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How to protect yourself from contracting Hepatitis A while abroad?

Over the last few years, the number of people getting infected with hepatitis A in the United States has dropped tremendously by 95%. All thanks to the Hepatitis A vaccine. However, it is still a common illness in other developing countries.

If you’re planning a trip to any developing countries, prepare your to-do-checklist few months before boarding. This involves booking tickets and hotel, carrying travel essentials, and considering health risks associated with the place you’re traveling to.

Being in a developing country, you’ll become susceptible in contracting hepatitis A. It is a viral infection that usually affects liver with mild to severe symptoms, and even death in some cases. Hepatitis A is transferred through the ingestion of contaminated water and food. Therefore, to keep yourself protected from Hepatitis A, it is important to get the right vaccine a few weeks before your travel.

Your risk of developing hepatitis A

Although you can contract hepatitis A virus in the United States, the risk is more in the developing countries. Especially the countries lacking quality sanitary conditions. Did you know nearly 90% of children under 10 years have been infected with hepatitis A in developing countries?

The common symptoms of hepatitis A include:

• Fever
  
• Loss of appetite
  
• Nausea
  
• Diarrhea
  
• Dark-colored urine
  
• Abdominal discomfort
  
• And jaundice
  

The incubation period for these symptoms to develop is usually between 14 and 28 days. Once you contract hepatitis A, there is no specific treatment for the illness. Thus, getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself from hepatitis A.

Tips to avoid and stay safe from hepatitis A

While hepatitis A virus is life-threatening, most people can recover from the illness with a lifetime immunity. However, there are various precautionary measures that will help you stay out of harm. 

If you are abroad, especially in one of the developing countries, make sure you drink clean water and food. Plus, having knowledge about food safety is the simplest way to reduce the risk. Washing your hands before eating and after going to the toilet as well as getting vaccinated are another important effective measure.

Hepatitis A vaccine is a proven way to protect yourself from contracting HAV. Almost 100% of people who get the vaccine develop protective preventive agents to the HAV - hepatitis A virus. According to health experts, each person traveling to a developing country must be injected with two shots of vaccine with a gap of six months for long-lasting protection. 

When it comes to hepatitis A vaccines, they were introduced to the United States in the year, 1996. And since then, the United States has encountered reduced number of hepatitis A cases. 

Apart from the United States, there are many nations that encounter fewer cases of hepatitis A virus. As per the centers for disease control and prevention, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Scandinavia, and Western Europe are among the safest regions for hepatitis. 

If you’re traveling to any foreign countries, make sure you get all the information about the region, such as the weather conditions, common diseases, and outbreaks. And accordingly get yourself vaccinated to have a safe and disease-free trip. 

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Budget-Friendly Vaccination Tips For Travelers

Want to stay healthy when traveling to a foreign destination? Getting travel vaccinations to safeguard your health is the easiest thing that you can do. It is your responsibility to take essential steps in order to stay healthy and fit when traveling. After all, you want to have fun and make beautiful memories instead of falling sick and making it the worst travel experience.

However, unfortunately, travel vaccines are not covered under the government health insurance in North America. Thus, you have to bare the cost of travel vaccinations. However, there are a few ways to save money on travel vaccines. You can get travel vaccinations at affordable prices at your family physician’s clinic or the travel clinic in addition to a certain amount of consultation fees.

While traveling, you might get exposed to a number of health risks and ailments. However, not every health risk is life-threatening for a traveler. The best way of cutting down on vaccination costs when traveling is to consult the health practitioner to select appropriate vaccines that are affordable and serve the purpose of protecting your health on foreign lands.

Ask the following questions to your healthcare professional for cost management and preventive care.

What are my chances of getting exposed to a disease in a different country?

You can search about the current epidemic situation at the place of your destination. In certain areas, the weather conditions play a major role in determining the seriousness of the disease and which vaccination you must take. Going by an example, if you are traveling to temperate regions, you might get exposed to Japanese encephalitis. Your physician will recommend you to take Japanese encephalitis vaccine in such a case.

 

Will the duration of my trip matter?

The longer you are traveling, the longer you will be exposed to diseases and ailments. If you go hiking for 4 weeks, you will be exposed to the danger of developing rabies. It is thus recommended to take the rabies vaccination when traveling to such areas or performing such activities in a foreign land.

Can I prevent illness exposure without the travel shots?

By taking certain preventive care initiatives such as washing hands, eating clean and healthy, drinking clean water, and using nets and repellents, you can reduce your chances of becoming ill when traveling.

It is highly recommended to consult your doctor first before you decide on skipping the travel vaccinations.

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Pre Travel Vaccination Guide For U.S. Travellers

Getting vaccinated is probably the last thing on any travelers mind. While planning the vacation of your dreams, you might ignore the most important part of your travel plan, i.e. getting travel vaccines for a safe vacation. 

 

Getting vaccinated is a wise investment that reduces the risk of getting exposed to life-threatening disease while traveling to a different location. Being a traveller, it is the duty of the individual to keep tab on all immunization practices. While traveling outside your home country, you might get prone to various diseases. These diseases can be easily prevented with the use of vaccines and various medications.

There are various types of travel vaccines available such as the rabies vaccine, the Japanese encephalitis vaccine, and the typhoid vaccine that you can get before traveling.

However, where you are traveling determines the type of travel vaccine required.

It is therefore recommended to consult a learned and experienced healthcare expert before you go for individual medical tests.

Below mentioned are some tips that a traveler must keep in mind before taking off.

1. Conducting research before traveling: It is obvious that getting immune against a disease with the help of vaccination is the ideal solution. However, getting acquainted with preventive measures can also prove to be very helpful. It is advised to conduct research before traveling to a different location and stopping mid-way at a medical clinic to get prior vaccination. Plan according to the activities that you will be performing.

2. Making use of various online tools: It is important to make use of various tools and resources available online. You can make use of the following resources:

1. Vaccinations according to the location and destination
2. Healthcare notices pertaining to traveling
3. The list of communicable and non-communicable diseases
4. Making use of travel advisories as per destination

3. Maintenance of hygiene while traveling: It is essential to carry an emergency travel kit along while vacationing on foreign lands. There are a lot of factors such as environment, days of stay, and the activities that you will be performing that determine your personal well being. It is therefore of utmost importance to always carry an emergency travel kit. A travel emergency kit consists of supplies such as mosquito repellents, over the counter medicines, and various other personal hygiene items.

4. List of vaccines for U.S. travelers: Below stated are some vaccinations for U.S. travelers

1. Typhoid
2. Meningococcal disease
3. Hepatitis A
4. Hepatitis B
5. Rabies
6. Japanese encephalitis
7. Yellow fever

Who are we?

We, at the Travel Clinics Of New York, are expert in lending health services pertaining to immunizations, wellness, and vaccination services. We guarantee that with the help of travel vaccinations, you will be able to enjoy your vacation rather than falling sick on a foreign land. Our doctors have years of experience in imparting professional healthcare and immunization advice that will make your international traveling experience worthy.

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Travel Vaccinations NYC | Travel Clinic | Travel Vaccines NY

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Preventing Measles while Traveling Abroad

Most people love to spend their summer holidays with family in an exotic destination. However, traveler’s diseases such as measles are still common in many parts of the world. During your visit, you may expose to people having the disease and measles can lead to serious health complications. To avoid turning your fun and exciting trip into remorse, make sure you get your travel vaccine in NY a few weeks before boarding.

Common places for measles

The outbreaks of measles are still common in some parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Pacific. Every year, nearly 20 million people suffer from measles throughout the world.

How is measles spread?

Measles is one of the highly contagious diseases, which easily spreads to unvaccinated people. If unvaccinated people are exposed to a measle infected perfect, almost 90% of them will get measles.
Measles is an airborne disease, which spreads when an infected person coughs, breathes, or sneezes. So, that means you will get an infection if you live in the same room or place as a measle infected person. And, even after an infected person leaves the room, measles virus stays in the air for up to 2 hours.

Protection against measles

The best way to get oneself protected against measles is the MMR - measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. The children get two doses the first dose at 12 through 15 months old and the second dose at 4 through 6 years old.
You should get your travel shots in NY before leaving for your trip. Doctors recommend children of 12 months age or older should get two doses at least with a difference of 28 days. On the other hand, adolescents and adults who never had measles or been vaccinated should get two doses with 28 days of difference. And, for infants 6 to 11 months, they should get an early dose of MMR vaccine.

Signs and symptoms

While you’re abroad and once you’re back, look for symptoms of measles. Generally, measles begins with fever, running nose, cough, sore throat, and red eyes. These symptoms become visible nearly 7 to 14 days after the infection. Maybe three to five days after these symptoms, you will get red or reddish-brown rashes. Measles can also lead to other serious health complications, including pneumonia or encephalitis, and in severe cases death.

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