With the busy summer travel season rapidly approaching, Americans planning international getaways are encouraged to take time now to review health precautions and destination-specific vaccine recommendations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention routinely updates its travel health notices, and several trending destinations for this summer currently have active alerts. Health experts advise that early spring is the ideal time to schedule a travel clinic visit, as full immunity may not be achieved for at least 2 weeks after some vaccines are administered.
“Planning ahead is the best way to ensure a safe and healthy trip,” said Sharita M. Rivers, RN, BS, director of the Foxhall Internists Immunization Clinic, which provides comprehensive travel health services, including pre-travel counseling and vaccinations. “We strongly recommend travelers check the CDC guidelines for their specific destinations well before they pack their bags.”
The CDC currently lists Level 2 Travel Health Notices—which require practicing enhanced precautions—for many popular tourist destinations.
For example, Colombia has recently experienced an increase in yellow fever cases. The CDC advises visitors to be vaccinated, and a booster dose may be given to certain travelers, including those who received their last dose of yellow fever vaccine at least 10 years previously.
Similarly, an updated Level 2 global polio notice is in effect due to the emergence of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus in various parts of the world. This affects travelers heading to destinations such as Germany and Croatia. For these areas, the CDC recommends a one-time adult polio booster for individuals who have not already received one.
In addition to Level 2 notices, the CDC asks travelers to follow usual precautions under several Level 1 notices.
With measles cases rising in many countries worldwide. The CDC has a global measles notice recommending that all non-immune travelers be fully vaccinated with the measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccine before departure. Some of the featured destinations in the notices include Greece, Japan, and Switzerland. Health officials emphasize that this precaution is especially critical for those traveling with infants or pregnant women.
“Measles is highly contagious, but it is also highly preventable,” Rivers said. “If you were born after 1957, confirming your MMR vaccination status should be a top priority when heading to an area with an active outbreak.”
A global dengue notice also affects several popular summer destinations, including the Maldives and Vietnam. While the risk remains usual for these regions, a global surge in cases prompts a reminder for tourists to take standard mosquito prevention measures.
Travelers can find the most up-to-date health notices and vaccination requirements by searching their specific destinations on the official CDC Travelers’ Health website.
