Vaccination: A must on every traveler¡¯s checklist

An important, yet often forgotten item in every traveler¡¯s checklist is vaccination.

No one would want their carefully planned trip, paid for by hard-earned pesos go to waste with the possibility of falling ill during the trip or coming home with a virus contracted somewhere during the trip.

THE RISKS

Filipinos are great food lovers. One of the most satisfying parts of the vacation is the food. However, travelers must be aware that food is also one of the common transmitters of diseases. Therefore, it is very important to know whether the food is properly prepared and cooked, clean and free of any contamination.

«¯ Typhoid fever, for one, is one of the diseases acquired from contaminated food and water. This life¨Cthreatening illness can be contracted when people eat food or drink water that has been contaminated with the bacterium, salmonella typhi. It is best to keep in mind that outbreaks of typhoid fever are often related to fecal contamination of water supplies or to food sold by street vendors.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), typhoid is rampant in developing and underdeveloped countries. Travelers to Asia, Africa, and Latin America have been particularly at risk.

«¯ Hepatitis A is another disease that could be transmitted through food. This highly contagious and sometimes fatal liver disease is caused by the Hepatitis A Virus (HAV), which is usually found in the waste product of a contaminated person. The virus could also be passed on through food especially if the one who handled the food is infected with HAV. This is endemic in Asia (except Japan), Central/South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Eastern Europe.

«¯ Persons traveling to these places are at increased risk of getting this infection. Aside from food-borne diseases, travelers should also watch out for diseases that can be transmitted through the air. Influenza or the flu, which is transmitted through respiratory droplets in a person¡¯s infected sneeze or cough, is one of the most common diseases in the Philippines.

Some people do not take this virus seriously, not knowing that it could also lead to various complications or be fatal. As travelers often interact and converse with other people, it is important for them to take proper precautions against flu.

Health authorities around the world repeatedly state that the best precaution against diseases is vaccination. It is advisable to consult a doctor for the necessary vaccinations and have them administered before traveling to give the vaccines time to take effect.

Furthermore, certain vaccines such as the typhoid vaccine should have booster shots regularly. Vaccines, together with sensible food and hygiene practices, are important factors that must be put in place when traveling to ensure an enjoyable and worry¨Cfree vacation.