Questions

What is a travel clinic?
Where is the travel clinic in my area?
Can't I just visit my family doctor? Why is the travel doctor different?
Why do I need to pay for my travel consultation and vaccine administration?
Do I need an immunization certificate for international travel?

Answers

Q) What is a travel clinic?

A) A travel clinic is a clinic where travel medicine is dispensed. Travel Medicine has become an important and increasingly prominent subspecialty in medicine in the past 10 to 15 years. It entails much more than administering vaccines:

• individualized risk assessment (health history of the individual, destination, planned activities and length of stay)
• risk management (providing immunizations and recommending medication for conditions the traveller may encounter in their destination (malaria, traveller's diarrhea, altitude sickness etc).

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Q) Where is the travel clinic in my area?

A) To locate the travel clinic nearest to you...
Call 1-800-268-4171 or visit our Travel Clinic Locator

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Q) Can't I just visit my family doctor? Why is the travel doctor different?

A) If you are a low risk traveller (ie; travelling for business to a developed country and staying in a five-star resort) then your family doctor can suggest some minor precautions to ensure you have a safe and healthy trip.

However, if you are planning to do some backpacking or visit some remote areas and 'live off the land' you may require a full set of immunizations and detailed medical advice before you leave. This advice can only be provided by a doctor who specializes in travel medicine. The travel doctor will be up-to-date with the latest news on diseases which are not common in Canada.

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Q) Why do I need to pay for my travel consultation and vaccine administration?

A) Travel medicine was delisted in June 1998 and since then it is not covered by universal Provincial insurance. However, private insurances are becoming more inclined to cover the costs for these preventive services. Consult with your insurer!!!

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Q) Do I need an immunization certificate for international travel?

A) If you are travelling to (or transitting through) Africa or South America, you may require a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever. Your vaccination can be administered only in a clinic that has been approved by the World Health Organization to administer yellow fever vaccine. Most travel clinics provide yellow fever vaccine, but if not, you may be referred to another clinic that has WHO approval.

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Be prepared. Your local Travel Clinic can help you plan for a safe and healthy adventure.