Travel medicine is a rapidly expanding discipline as more people (including children and adolescents) go on overseas trips, including visiting friends and relatives (VFRs).
Travel medicine includes general advice to minimise the risk of injury and infections, which will vary depending on the location of travel, duration and time of year.
The traveller may be at increased risk of vaccine preventable diseases. To help determine which routine and additional special travel vaccines may be required, there are a number of excellent websites, with country specific updates and information on emerging infections. For specific pre-travel advice this is best done 4-6 weeks prior to departure, to allow time for the vaccines to start to work before arriving at your overseas destination.
Resources
The RCH travel health resources
- The RCH kids info- travel health advice
- The Royal Children’s Hospital private vaccine costs
- Private BCG Clinics
MVEC travel related resources
- BCG vaccine
- Influenza vaccine recommendations
- Measles
- Rabies
- Yellow fever
- WHO vaccine schedule by country
Yellow Fever vaccination centres
The CDC in the United States
Other resources
Authors: Nigel Crawford (Director SAEFVIC, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute) and Rachael McGuire (SAEFVIC Research Nurse, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute)
Reviewed by: Rachael McGuire (SAEFVIC Research Nurse, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute)
Date: December 2020
Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre (MVEC) staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.
You should not consider the information in this site to be specific, professional medical advice for your personal health or for your family’s personal health. For medical concerns, including decisions about vaccinations, medications and other treatments, you should always consult a healthcare professional.
