The pre-travel consultation is a good opportunity to ensure travellers are up to date with their routine vaccinations. Childhood immunisation coverage is generally not as good in developing countries and travellers may become carriers of disease and bring it home and pass it on to their family and friends.
Influenza is the most common vaccine preventable illness in travellers. This is due to travel in large groups to tourist areas with exposure to people from all over the world, as well as the lack of influenza programs in developing countries.
Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis is recommended if you haven’t received one in the last 10 years, due to increasing frequent pertussis outbreaks worldwide. Pertussis (whooping cough) is a highly infectious respiratory infection. Toxins that enter the body through a wound cause Tetanus, Diphtheria is a bacterial infection transmitted from person to person by coughing and sneezing.
Measles/Mumps/Rubella is recommended due to sharply increasing measles cases around the world. In Australia, it is indicated for those born 1966 or later without evidence of immunity or 2 doses of the vaccine at any time in their life.
Pneumococcal is recommended for adults over 65 years and is the leading cause of serious illness and death in people over 85 years of age. Infection can cause pneumonia or meningitis and is estimated to kill approximately 1 million people worldwide each year.
COVID-19 is recommended due to continual outbreaks around the world. It is a highly infectious respiratory infection that may have a significant negative impact on your health should you fall ill. Many countries require proof of vaccination on entry to the country or have other border requirements. Criteria are constantly changing. Please see the Smartraveller.gov.au website for advice before travelling.
