As international travel to exotic places has grown significantly, advising travelers on vaccine-preventable illnesses has become the responsibility of primary health care physicians. The approach to vaccine recommendations is based on a thorough assessment of the risks for diseases. Further, childhood vaccinations are reviewed in travelers and updated as required. Thus, immunizations and preventive medicines form an essential part of travel preparation that can reduce infection risks while staying abroad.
Travel immunizations and vaccines ensure better health on your trip and for years afterward. It is recommended to get vaccinated at least 4 to 6 weeks before travel. This gives the vaccines enough time to start working and makes sure that there's time for you to get other doses as well. For Travel Immunizations in Philadelphia, consult a doctor well in advance who can help prevent you from bringing home unintended souvenirs. Depending on where you are traveling, you may need different vaccines to protect you from diseases like typhoid, yellow fever, rabies, hepatitis, Japanese encephalitis.
CDC has categorized vaccines for travel into three categories, namely, routine, required and recommended. In the US, routine vaccines are recommended for everyone based on the age, health condition, and other factors. A required vaccine, on the other hand, is one that travelers must have to enter a country, based on that country’s government regulations. Lastly, recommended vaccines are not part of the routine vaccine schedule and they protect visitors from only travel-related diseases.
Also, one can get extensive information about vaccine requirements in each country at the traveler’s health section available on the CDC website. You can even find many providers for Travel Immunizations in Philadelphia. If you have an ongoing illness, weakened immune system or are pregnant, you may need additional vaccines. In addition, after returning home, people often get sick. If you visited a malaria-risk area, it would be advisable to keep taking the antimalarial medication as directed, even after leaving that country. Thus, knowing you are protected from diseases gives you a peace of mind and you can enjoy your trip without any stress.