Before You Travel Internationally
Many of our patients have ongoing important medical conditions which impact their ability to travel away from home. While it is always possible to reach our providers & our office, far from home we may only be able to provide limited assistance. Therefore we advise everyone with medical conditions or medications to consider the following recommendations.
Enroll with the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Check for and monitor any travel advisories for your destination. Enrolling also ensures that the State Department knows where you are if you have serious legal, medical, or financial difficulties while traveling. In the event of an emergency at home, STEP can also help friends and family contact you.
Medications. It is important to keep a list of your medicines and allergies. We can provide a list, or you can make your own. Make sure you have enough, and keep meds in your possession, not checked in baggage. Some of you want to be prescribed medicine for conditions that may occur while traveling. Although we sometimes do this, it isn’t generally a good idea. If you have a symptoms such as an infection, it is usually sufficient to treat with nonprescription medicine; there is no guarantee that what antibiotic you are carrying is going to successfully treat the infection. Counterfeit drugs are common in some countries, so only take medicine that you bring from home and make sure to pack enough for the duration of your trip, plus extra in case of travel delays. Learn more about traveling abroad with medicine.
Immunizations & Preventive Medication. Traveling overseas to underdeveloped countries can expose you to infections that are not common in America. For this reason, make sure you are up to date on vaccines recommended by our office. Also check with your travel agent or the CDC Traveler’s Health website a few weeks before you leave for advice on infections that may be prevalent in your destination. Get immunized at least 2 weeks before departure. There are local travel immunization centers locally at Passport Health & Runway Health, or the CDC website can find a local clinic for travel immunizations. You can try to obtain the travel immunizations at your local county health department, but appointments are limited, so call well in advance.
Some countries require proof of immunizations using the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), also referred to as the “yellow card,” the official, internationally recognized document that travelers use to document proof of vaccination for diseases included under the IHR. If the ICVP is required at your destination, please obtain this at the travel immunization clinic listed above.
Yellow fever is a viral disease spread by infected mosquitoes, causing symptoms from fever and aches to severe liver disease with jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) and bleeding, found in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and South America. It can be prevented with a safe and effective vaccine and by avoiding mosquito bites. The yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for people over 60. The risk of serious, potentially fatal side effects like vaccine-associated neurotropic disease (YEL-AND) and viscerotropic disease (YEL-AVD) is significantly higher in this age group. Senior travelers should avoid traveling to destinations where yellow fever is prevalent.
Malaria. Human malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasite, is transmitted by the bite of an infective female Anopheles mosquito. In the World Malaria Report 2024, WHO reported a total of 83 malaria-endemic countries globally. Travelers are advised to begin a malaria prevention drug program before entering a malaria-endemic area, while visiting, and for several weeks after returning home. Travelers should consult with our office or an immunization clinic above, to obtain preventive medicine several weeks before leaving for the destination.
Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by Salmonella enterica bacteria, Typhoid is spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated with the waste of an infected person. Thus it is a threat to travelers to less developed countries facing challenges to provide clean drinking water and adequate food safety. Typhoid fever is most common in Asia, Africa, Central and South America. Vivotif (Typhoid Vaccine Live Oral Ty21a) is a prescription live-attenuated vaccine used to prevent typhoid fever in adults and children over 6 years of age. It is taken orally as a series of four capsules and is recommended for those at high risk of exposure, such as travelers to areas where typhoid is prevalent. Protection is not guaranteed for everyone. Vaccinated individuals should still take precautions regarding food and water safety.
Protect yourself from insect bites. Insects transmit many tropical infections for which there are no vaccines or treatment, such as Zika, Dengue, Leishmaniasis and others. To reduce the risk of infection while abroad remember to protect yourself from insects. Picaridin and DEET are both effective insect repellents, but picaridin is often preferred for its more pleasant user experience, while DEET is proven effective but can be greasy and damage synthetic materials.
Get travel insurance. Most health insurance will NOT cover medical care abroad. Travelers are usually responsible for paying hospital and other medical expenses out of pocket at most destinations. Make sure you have a plan to get medical care in case you need it. Consider buying additional insurance that covers health care and emergency evacuation, especially if you will be traveling to remote areas. There are different types of travel insurance such as trip cancellation insurance, travel health insurance and medical evacuation insurance. Learn more about travel insurance. Well known travel insurance companies are rated by Forbes.
Other important measures. Ensure the quality of your food and drinking water by drinking only commercial bottled water and well-cooked food. To help prevent getting sick, make sure to wash your hands often, especially before eating and after using the bathroom. Wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
