Vaccination Advice

For the travelers out there who like to go somewhere a little bit different than the 'usual' holiday destination, chances are you'll need to be vaccinated to prevent contraction of any unwanted diseases or infections. [Well I certainly hope they're unwanted. Why would you want cholera?]

Vaccinations can be a hectic, scary or daunting process for a lot of people be it their first time getting them, being terrified of needles, worrying of the cost and time limit they have to get them or just being faced with the reality that these diseases exist where you're going.

First of all, relax. You're already preparing yourself and doing the research by reading this post so I have 100% faith that you'll be fine.

1. Know where you're going. 

It is very important to know where you'll be travelling so you can let whoever is administrating your vaccines know and they can make sure you get everything you need. Whether you'll be staying in one city, travelling through a few cities in various countries or making your way across a whole continent but unsure of exactly where you'll be, let the consultant/doctor know everything. And if you're unsure if you'll be visiting a certain place you'll need a vaccine for, just get it. It'll be one less thing to worry about on your travels and if you do decide to go there, it'll save you getting any counterfeit medication and risking your health if you deal with any unsanitary clinics or needles. Better to be safe than sorry!

2. Worried about the cost? Don't be.

• Unlike flights and hotel/hostel prices, vaccination prices will not fluctuate. Therefore you can check out what will be needed months in advance and know exactly what you need to put aside for it. Search the web for your local travel clinic and they should have all the prices up on their website.
• I know some people believe it's better to pay for the medication yourself and get your own doctor to administer the vaccines. I would advise against this. Nothing personal against your GP or anything but you're much better off going to someone who specializes in travel vaccines. And if you need to get vaccinated against rabies then there's absolutely no question about it, go to a travel clinic! The reason for this is you need 3 shots for rabies over a couple of weeks. One bottle is made up of 3 shots but as soon as it's opened, it expires quickly so if you were to get your rabies vaccine in your ordinary GP office, chances are no one else will be getting a rabies shot so it would cost upwards of €100 as you'd be paying for 3 bottles. In a travel clinic, other people will be availing of the same bottle so you'll save a lot of money!  
• Student discounts are often available and discounts for senior citizens and the unemployed also exist. You won't know unless you ask!
• If you're in Ireland I'd recommend The Travel Health Clinic on Dawson Street in Dublin. They're far cheaper than The Tropical Medical Bureau and were lovely to deal with. I felt fully prepared for Africa having received their guidance and had a number to call 24/7 if any emergency arose. They also accept any form of student cards, not just travel cards and they gave me a lollipop after every visit! 

3. Pain

It's not that bad. Really! It's like a slight pinch every time and there can be a slight 'panging' pain afterwards but it's fine. I will say however, not to poke at where the shot went in or lean on it and try avoid sleeping on it if you can, just to avoid any possible discomfort! I learned that the hard way which you can read in this blog post of my old blog. . . Obviously if you're the kind of person with the attitude of a soccer player that will bend their finger the wrong way then never shut up about it and demand some kind of prize for dealing with such atrocious 'pain' then my advice for you is; shut up and deal with it! 

4.  Needles

Needles? What needles? I never saw a needle when I got my vaccines done. Ask them not to show you and they won't. Dr. Weidenhammer in the clinic I went to distracted me without me even realizing by asking me questions while injecting me. It was over before I knew it! In my experience, there were no needles, just the slight pinch of  a magical fairy doctor that resulted in my body being magically protected from awful things! And did I mention? You might get a lollipop! If you don't like needles, you won't see needles.

5. Time

Some vaccinations require a few shots over a period of weeks. If you're worried that you won't have enough time to get them all before your trip away don't panic. Just ring up whichever travel clinic you'll be going to, let them know you'll be flying out soon and might need repeat shots. They should be able to squeeze you in if it is going to be a tight fit to get them all in. Staff at travel clinics are there to help you, they won't want you going away unprepared either so just relax! And in future, give yourself at least 6 weeks before your flight to make an appointment for a consultation. It's hard enough trying to remember where your passport is and whether or not you packed your pajamas the night before your flight without thinking about your possibilities of coming home with Hepatitis A as a souvenir instead of a key-ring. 

These are just some basic tips to help you through your vaccination experience. Your travel clinic will help you with anything else you need to know or you can fire a question my away and I'll promise to answer it. 

Thank you for reading and happy travels!

Grá,

Ceara

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