The new face of travel

By Dr Julie Blaze

Overseas travel is back in swing since the reopening of our borders in March. It’s expensive and more complex. Travellers have reported lots of delays at airports and lost baggage. Those who tested Covid positive overseas reported disruption to plans when required to isolate.

The requirements for Covid-19 vaccination, testing and quarantine vary from country to country. Details can be found on the Australian Government website Smartraveller. If you require an International Covid Vaccination Certificate, you can get this online via the Medicare app, or via Services Australia.

The pandemic has disrupted many medical services and immunisation programs in low-income countries. This has led to an increase in vaccine preventable illnesses in those countries such as polio, measles and diphtheria. It is important to ensure all routine vaccinations are up to date before you travel, including boosters.

Bulli Medical Practice has seen a growing uptake of services in our Travel Medicine Clinic. Travel medical advice is dependent on the details of your planned trip. It includes what vaccines are required as well as advice regarding potential health risks for your travel destination(s) such as how to reduce your risk of food-related infection. We also consider your own individual health and health risks. We make recommendations about specific vaccines that may be needed such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies, Japanese Encephalitis, cholera, and whether tablets are needed to prevent malaria.

Yellow Fever Vaccination is the most required vaccine for travel to parts of Africa and South America. The proof of vaccination is still the paper based Yellow Card. In some less-common circumstances a certificate for polio and meningitis vaccine is also required.

It’s fantastic that we can travel overseas again but also important to get the correct information to ensure a safe, healthy and happy journey.