Consider booking a consultation with one of our doctors to discuss how to stay healthy and prevent illness on your journey. 

Many overseas countries carry a risk of contracting potentially serious illnesses which can be effectively prevented through vaccination before your travel. Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Yellow Fever and Cholera are a few examples. There is minimal risk of acquiring these infections in Australia and so vaccination against them is not included in the standard Australian schedule. Other conditions such as Polio and Tetanus are covered on the Australian vaccination schedule but you may require a booster before you travel. Malaria is a serious mosquito borne infection that occurs in many equatorial countries. The risk of acquiring malaria can be reduced through taking certain anti malaria medication prescribed by your doctor.

You may also have some health conditions which need to be carefully managed during your travel and your doctor can make a plan with you to ensure you stay well while you are away. It is possible to get a special script (marked regulation 24) which allows a chemist to dispense all the repeats at once so that you have enough medication whilst you are travelling. A letter from your doctor confirming your regular medications is worth taking with you if you are carrying tablets, to prevent difficulties through customs.  

Your doctor can also give specific advice to you to help prevent clots in your legs or lungs (DVTs and PEs) knowing your background level of risk. Medication for travel sickness and for traveller’s diarrhoea can be discussed.