Protect your family through vaccinations this holiday
The end of the year is often a busy time for airlines as parents often bring their families out for a vacation during this busy period since school is out. While everyone is certainly entitled to some holiday fun, an important thing to note is that in order to make full use of the family vacation, being healthy is a crucial factor in determining whether or not your family vacation lives up to its expectations. No one wants to spend a load of money to go overseas only to waste time and money being sick in a foreign place
The current alarming situation
According to an article published in Motherhood magazine, only one fifth of travellers consult doctors and vaccination centres before going overseas. These statistics are worrying as vaccinations should be part and parcel of your routine when preparing to go overseas on a holiday. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is strongly advised that you seek advice from a doctor 4 to 6 weeks before embarking on your overseas holiday. This gives you enough time to become vaccinated and address any health issues you may have when travelling overseas.
Types of vaccinations
According to the CDC, travel vaccinations can be split into 3 types; routine, recommended and required. Required vaccination only includes the yellow fever vaccination for travelling to places in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America.
Routine vaccinations
Routine vaccinations can be considered as vaccinations which one undergoes during childhood. In Singapore, there are 5 compulsory vaccinations for children.. They are BCG, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (DTP), Poliomyelitis (Oral Polio Vaccine), Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR). According to a 2004 report by the Ministry of Health, the coverage of these vaccines in Singapore is above 93 per cent.
Recommended vaccinations
Recommended vaccinations are subjected to your travel destinations. It is best to consult a doctor on which vaccination you or your family should get when going to a particular country. Some popular destinations among Singaporeans include Malaysia and Thailand. According to the CDC, recommended vaccinations for Malaysia and Thailand include hepatitis A, rabies and typhoid fever. Malaria should also be noted as a possible disease to pick up in these countries.
More travel tips
Other important travel tips to ensure you get to enjoy your holiday include preparing travelling kits. Common illnesses people suffer from while travelling overseas include diarrhoea, influenza and dysentery. Thus one should prepare medicines which can help fight against these diseases. Other recommended items to include in your travel kit are insect repellents, motion sickness pills, antihistamines for colds and allergies, plasters, thermometers and sun screen. Travel insurance should also be bought during your vacation.
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