YOU, YOUR DOCTOR, CDC & IMMUNIZATION !!

One of the requested topic for our blog came from Kelly. She wanted to know what immunization should be considered with our upcoming trip? Great question, Kel’ ! 

The issue at hand is that though I can point you to checking out the Center of Disease Control (CDC) for Travelers, ultimately you need to be sure you make an appointment with your doctor to address "YOUR" specific needs!

First off know where you are going? Be sure you have the following ports of call for your doctor: Bangkok, Thailand / Singapore, Malaysia / Ho Chi Minh City & Nha Trang Vietnam / Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tianjin-Beijing, Dailan China / Nagasaki-Hiroshima, Osaka-Kyoto & Yokohama-Tokyo Japan / Pusan South Korea / Anchorage Alaska. In addition, have the information for your doctor about your planned shore excursions and interests. Whether it will be out in the rural countrysides and villages or if you just plan to stick to local tourist sightseeing sites around the cosmopolitan city.

Second, Don’t wait too long as vaccines take time to become effective. so make your appointment to meet with your doctor at least three months from departure. I was informed by my physician, just recently, that generally Center of Disease Control (CDC)  posts alerts three months in advance. So keep this in mind when setting up your appointment. Also remember, “You” are not the only patient on your doctor’s appointment book. So don’t delay and check your calendar and book your appointment in advance. And yes, I have already made my appointment for the first of the year!

In my exploration into the CDC website, it was noted that the CDC divides vaccines for travel into three categories: routine, recommended and required. It is best to consult your physician for “your” specific needs. However, the generality of the categories were outlined as such:

Routine Vaccinations

Be sure that you and your family are up to date on your routine vaccinations. These vaccines are necessary for protection from diseases that are still common in many parts of the world even though they rarely occur in the United States. If you are not sure which vaccinations are routine, look at the schedules below.

Recommended Adult Immunization/Needs based on age /Check with Doctor

Influenza2,
Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Td/Tdap)3, Varicella4,
Human papillomavirus (HPV)5, Female Human papillomavirus (HPV)5, Male Zoster6
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)7, Pneumococcal (polysaccharide)8,9 Meningococcal10,
Hepatitis A11
Hepatitis B12

Recommended Vaccinations

These vaccines are recommended to protect travelers from illnesses present in other parts of the world and to prevent the importation of infectious diseases across international borders. Which vaccinations you need depends on a number of factors including your destination, whether you will be spending time in rural areas, the season of the year you are traveling, your age, health status, and previous immunizations.

Required Vaccinations

The only vaccine required by International Health Regulations is yellow fever vaccination for travel to certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America. Meningococcal vaccination is required by the government of Saudi Arabia for annual travel during the Hajj.

In further drilling into the CDC website you will find extensive information and charts that you can print up to share with your doctor for discussion. Additionally, the CDC website also has information specific to the destinations by countries so look into this also before you consult your doctor for your specific needs.

The Center of Disease Control’s website for travelers is:

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/vaccinations.htm   

Photo provided by Flickr. CTChang