Some countries have mandatory vaccine requirements to enter. Yellow Fever is a good example. You can be on your way to a country that in general does not require this vaccination but if you happen to transit through a country that has Yellow Fever present this could change the requirement. It can get tricky. So what should you do?
A travel professional cannot provide medical advice. So if your travel professional gets a bit squirmy when you ask what vaccinations you should get or if you should take the suggested anti-malarial drugs for your holiday it is because they lack the licensing to provide medical advice. It puts the travel professional, the agency and most importantly you and your trip at risk. It would be no different than asking your accountant the same questions.
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But, your travel professional can certainly point you to the right people licensed to begin answering your questions in an official capacity. First you start at the Government of Canada Travel Advisory website, select your destination country and then click on the Health link. The most important piece of information you will read in the health section for all country advisories is to consult a medical professional.
Government of Canada Travel Advisories: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories
- if you have a doctor - consult your doctor, he/she may direct you to a travel medicine clinic if there is one in your community
- if you do not have a doctor and live in a smaller community you may not have direct access to a medical clinic, check with your pharmacist as some pharmacists in smaller communities provide travel medicine services
- if in a larger community you likely have access to a travel medicine clinic, you do not require a referral so consult with them as they have doctors and nurses that deal exclusively with travel related requirements and they will ensure you receive any vaccinations in the right time.
When should you consult with a medical professional? As soon as you have confirmed your trip dates. They will set up a consultation with a licensed medical practitioner. You will be provided with a schedule for when you should be vaccinated for any mandatory vaccines or optional ones you may choose to do such as tetanus/typhoid.
As with all travel advisories they are subject to change without notice. The benefit of working with a travel medicine professional is it is their business to keep up on evolving requiremetns and will help you navigate requirements.
