For a really great vacation, Australia can be just the paradise you’ve been looking for. It has such a breathtaking degree of scenery including rain forest, desert, highlands, and tundra. Many of the country’s 23 million inhabitants live in the eastern part of the continent, which is likely to captivate some of your time. There is a little something for everyone Down Under.
If you are planning a trip to Australia, you should check with your travel clinic’s physician at least two months in advance to review your immunization history. That way, if you are lacking or needing a booster, you have plenty of time for the treatment to work. Typically, you want to allow 4 to 6 weeks for your vaccinations to be 100% effective. In the event you have to leave sooner than expected, go get the shots anyway. An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure, so collaborate with your healthcare provider to see what treatments are available to you.
If you plan to visit outside of Australia and on into New Guinea, or New Zealand, let your healthcare provider know. There may be other options and treatments that will benefit you. If you don’t have an itinerary yet, get a basic outline of where you will go and have it on hand.
The first vaccines to be sure you are current on are the ones for Diphtheria, Pertussis, or Tetanus, which are given as one. There is also the vaccine for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella which is also all inclusive. If you weren’t vaccinated for polio, you will want this one as well. Many countries still have a very real threat of contracting this one, so don’t take any chances.
Hepatitis B is prevalent just about everywhere in the world, with the possible exception of Antarctica. This disease is easily spread through human contact, so be careful about casual encounters. Unprotected sex is the number one transmission method, with illicit drug use and sharing of needles being second. If you think you might have sex, you could be exposed to this, and using prophylactic protection is no guarantee of immunity. There is also a possibility you may need to be hospitalized due to accident or injury. Hospitals don’t share sterilization methods across the globe, and Hep B can be contracted there through blood, urine, or other substances. If you go ahead and get inoculated six weeks prior to your departure date, you will be protected from this liver killer.
Japanese Encephalitis can be a concern. This illness is given to us through a mosquito bite, and there are swamplands and forests that harbor clouds of the pesky insects. Take this precaution if you are planning sometime in the Outback, doing some camping or exploring.
A Rabies shot is a requirement to anyone doing activities that put them in contact with dogs, cats, bats, squirrels, etc; this could be an issue for hikers, cave spelunkers, or jungle exploration. Rabies is deadly if symptoms present themselves, and if you are a thousand miles deep in the bush and get bitten, you will be in trouble. This is a safe vaccine to take with any others you may be ready for.
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To learn more about travel vaccines and how to prevent diseases while abroad, or to make an appointment for inoculations and preventative medicines, contact us today.