Travelling, whether for work or pleasure, will expose you to health risks that you may not need to worry about in Canada. Each climate has its own risks, and visitors need to make themselves aware of the health protection steps that locals take as part of the daily routine. It is distressing to fall ill while travelling, particularly when time at the destination is limited, or if language and cultural barriers make it difficult to navigate the healthcare system.
Travel health is complicated!
There are some excellent travel health resources freely available. So, you might think you can save money by doing your own research. But, in fact, travel health advice is complicated.
For example, you can look at a malaria map and see that anti-malarials are recommended for your destination – but only at certain times of the year, or if you are doing particular activities. And then you discover that some anti-malarials are inappropriate for the strain of malaria you are likely to encounter in the area you’re visiting. And that’s before you’ve even worked out when you need to start and stop taking the malaria tablets.
And complex entry requirements for some countries make it difficult to work out whether you need a yellow fever certificate or not. You may need a certificate of vaccination if you have travelled via another country.
Making the wrong call can leave you stuck at the border when you should be working or enjoying your vacation; or you may find yourself lying awake worrying about whether your decision has put you and your family at risk. Or, worse, you could end up in hospital with a life-changing illness.
The travel health practitioners at Canadian Travel Clinics have access to robust information and specialist tools that let them draw on health and risk data in real time to give you a quick answer that you can trust.
When you pay your bill at Canadian Travel Clinics, you are paying for so much more than a few shots. You are getting peace of mind and advice that will help you to keep yourself and your family safe.
Travelling unvaccinated could invalidate your travel insurance
Many travel insurance policies require you to take medical advice before travelling and to get vaccinated against diseases that you might be exposed to. If you fall ill from a vaccine-preventable disease while you are travelling, your insurance may not cover you. So, you could be left with large medical bills.
Make an appointment with Canadian Travel Clinics before you go
We recommend seeing a travel health nurse six to eight weeks before your trip. This is because some vaccines need to be administered in multiple doses. We can help with last-minute trips, though, so get in touch about your travel health even if you think there isn’t enough time before your trip.
By consulting a travel health specialist before you leave Canada, you can get informed about health risks at your destination and learn how to reduce your risk of getting sick or injured while travelling.