Do you run away from winter in the southern hemisphere, going after “Euro Summer”
Perhaps you have already reserved your flights and accommodation, blocked your travel plan and started planning what to pack.
But there may be one more thing that can be added to the checklist before traveling-he has been with flu.
For some travelers, this may mean a second flu shot this year – one for the Australian flu season, and the other to protect them in the northern hemisphere.
Why do I need another influenza shot?
Flu protection does not last all year round; decreases after three to four months.
So if you had a shot in the flu in April or May, it may no longer offer sufficient protection until traveling in July or later.
Getting a second shot will ensure optimal protection against flu while traveling in the northern hemisphere.
That’s why it is so now recommended Australians traveling in the northern hemisphere between October and may consider the other flu, if they had one at the beginning of this year.
If three to four months have passed from the first shot, you may consider Second shot.
The second shot should be at least four weeks after the first shot. Perfectly get your second shot At least two weeks Before leaving, your body has time to build protection.
If you didn’t have flu this year, it’s time. In the year until July 7There were over 167,000 confirmed influenza cases in Australia.
Who should consider the second flu?
Here are some examples in which you should discuss a second flu with a doctor or pharmacist.
Cruises They are the main setting of flu explosions. There are hundreds or thousands of people dividing circumscribed spaces, such as restaurants and entertainment facilities for several days or weeks. This creates an ideal environment for the influenza virus to spread.
Group trips AND gigantic events They are also a high risk. Bus trips, music festivals and cultural events combine vast crowds, often in the internal space or through joint transport. This increases the chance to expose and catch the virus.
Pilgrimages AND religious meetings Such as Hajj, Moon Modern Year or Ramadan are also a high risk, especially for older travelers or people with illness. These events can attract millions of international guests, often in a crowded, joint accommodation, in which flu and other breathing viruses can spread quickly.
People who are over 65 yearsThey have diseases such as severe asthma or diabetes, or are on drugs that reduce their immune function, they get ill more often if they catch the flu. So, if you travel during the flu season in the northern hemisphere, you should hardly consider the second arrows.
Which flu shot should I get?
Every year, health authorities They develop two different photos of flu around the world, one for the flu season of each hemisphere. Fluts may vary when flu strains change quickly, and different strains can circulate in different regions.
Australians receive a version in the southern hemisphere from March to May. And although it is ideal to have a shot with flu in the northern hemisphere before setting off abroad, it is not available in Australia.
Instead you can have two shots From the flu in the southern hemisphere – one earlier this year and the other shot before traveling.
You can wait until you get abroad to get a second shot. But you would not be protected for two weeks later and you have to move with a foreign healthcare system during the holidays.
Where can I get a shot with flu? How much is it?
You can get flu at a local pharmacy, a GP clinic, and sometimes through a workplace. Many pharmacies offer visits, and against influenza usually costs about USD 25 (including the price of the vaccine and its administration).
If your general doctor is not a collective bill, you will be charged at the expense of consulting your own pocket and you may need to pay the cost of shot if you do not qualify for a free one.
(First) flu shot is free for people who meet specific criteriasuch as 65 years and more, in pregnancy, Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander and people with certain patients. But you will have to pay for the second shot if you travel.
Specific flu shots are recommended for each person. So talk to your pharmacist or family doctor to discuss the best option for you.
Your general doctor or pharmacist will also discuss what you can expect from flu. It may include Fatigue, fever, muscle pain and redness or swelling at the injection site. They usually leave within two days. For most people, these symptoms are soft and well tolerated.
Why bother?
Flupa is more than sniffing. This can lead to a solemn illness, canceled plans and perhaps a hospital stay in a foreign country. Even if you do not get ill, you can pass the virus to others more vulnerable than you.
Before you finish the control list before traveling, make sure that the flu shots are valid.
Lack of shot may be the difference between sipping Aperol Spritz on the Amalfi coast or spending travel in bed with fever.