Saturday 29 January 2011

Register with the LOCATE service from the FCO

With the recent demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia many are traveller's will feel apprehensive if travelling to areas with political unrest. The Foreign and Common Office (FCO) offer a great service called LOCATE .We recommend this service in our travel clinic.
It is very easy to register online and once registered the FCO have your details so that if a major catastrophe occurs, such as a terrorist attack or a tsunami they have an instant record of your details enabling them to contact you to make sure you’re OK and provide advice. It also means if family and friends need to get in touch with you they can help them to find you.
You only need to register once and you can update your travel details at any time. Whilst we mainly recommend this to our backpacking travellers the FCO is happy for you to register for short trips. Given the recent unrest we would recommend that all travellers to these regions register now.
 
Useful tips
 
  •  Ensure you have adequate travel insurance and make sure your policy does not exclude terrorism
  •  Check the FCO website for updates before you travel to ensure it is safe to go to your destination
  •  Check your passport is in date and ensure you have any visa’s you may require for entry
  •  Make copies of your passport and any other important documents
  •  Ensure you have had all your travel vaccinations and have any necessary malaria tablets
  
 
 
Have you travelled to Egypt or Tunisia recently? Share your stories with us.

Monday 24 January 2011

Should I have a rabies vaccination?

Rabies is spread through bites or licks on broken skin from an infected animal. It is estimated that there are between 50000 and 60000 deaths from rabies worldwide each year. Over half these deaths occur in South East Asia. Rabies is present in over 150 countries worldwide, most other cases occur in Africa and Latin America.  According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) it is estimated 10 million people worldwide receive post-exposure treatments each year after being bitten by a suspected rabid animal. Over 99% of rabies deaths in humans are from dog bites. Rabies is nearly always fatal.

Since 2001 there have been 4 deaths in UK travellers. These cases were acquired in Nigeria, the Philippines, Goa and South Africa. 3 cases were dog bites and none of the cases were known to have received pre or post exposure vaccination.

Advice for traveller’s


·         If you are travelling to a high risk area for 1 month or more or will be more than 24 hours from treatment or are unsure about the availability and quality of rabies vaccine and rabies immune globulin (RIG) you should consider a course of pre exposure rabies vaccine.
·         Certain activities such as cycling and running increase your risk of being bitten. Working with animals aboard carries a high risk.
·         You should see you doctor or nurse at least 6 weeks before travel to start the course. Rabies vaccine is administered on days 0, 7 and 21 or 28. If you do not have time to complete the course before travel it is still worth considering starting the course as it will prime your immune system.
·         Post exposure vaccination and treatment should be administered as soon as possible, even if you have received pre exposure vaccine. In many counties availability of rabies immunoglobulin are in short supply and therefore a pre exposure course is recommended.
·         Pre exposure vaccine does not mean you do not need treatment if bitten. If bitten wash the wound with cold running water for 5 minutes, apply iodine or alcohol to the wound , get to hospital as soon as possible and carry your vaccination card if possible.
·         Ensure you have medical insurance in place.