Travel Health & Immunizations

Make sure your health insurance covers you for medical expenses abroad. If not, supplemental insurance for overseas coverage, including possible evacuation, should be seriously considered. If illness occurs while abroad, medical expenses including evacuation may run to tens of thousands of dollars. For a list of travel insurance and air ambulance companies, go to Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad on the U.S. State Department website. Bring your insurance card, claim forms, and any other relevant insurance documents. Before departure, determine whether your insurance plan will make payments directly to providers or reimburse you later for overseas health expenditures. The Medicare and Medicaid programs do not pay for medical services outside the United States.

TRAVEL TIP:
Ethiopia is a mountainous country and the high altitude may cause health problems even for healthy travelers. Addis Ababa is located at an altitude of 8,300 feet. Individuals may experience shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, headaches, an d inability to sleep. Travelers to Ethiopia should also avoid swimming in any lakes, rivers, or still bodies of water. Most bodies of water have been found to contain parasites. Travelers should be aware that Ethiopia has a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Ethiopia has had outbreaks of acute watery diarrhea, possible cholera, typhoid, or other bacterial diarrhea in the recent past.

All travelers should visit either their personal physician or a travel health clinic 4-8 weeks before departure.
Malaria: Prophylaxis with Lariam, Malarone, or doxycycline is recommended for all areas except Addis Ababa and altitudes above 2000 m (6561 ft).

Vaccinations:

• Hepatitis A Recommended for all travelers

• Typhoid Recommended for all travelers

• Yellow fever Recommended for all travelers

• Meningococcus Recommended for all travelers

• Polio One-time booster recommended for any adult traveler who completed the childhood series but never had polio vaccine as an adult

• Hepatitis B For travelers who may have intimate contact with local residents, especially if visiting for more than 6 months

• Rabies For travelers who may have direct contact with animals and may not have access to medical care

• Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) Two doses recommended for all travelers born after 1956, if not previously given

• Tetanus-diphtheria Revaccination recommended every 10 years

Insect and tick protection
Wear long sleeves, long pants, hats and shoes (rather than sandals).
Insect repellents are ineffective against tsetse flies, which transmit sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis). Areas infested with tsetse flies, which are usually known to local inhabitants, should be avoided. Travelers at risk should wear long sleeves and long pants of medium weight fabric in neutral colors that blend with the environment. Also, travelers should avoid riding in the back of open vehicles, since dust may attract tsetse flies, and should take care not to disturb bushes (where tsetse flies rest) during the warmer parts of the day.

Travel Health Clinic
Gina Flaharty NP
Now with offices in Sacramento and Folsom
5282 Elvas Avenue 850 Iron Point Rd, Ste 150
Sacramento, CA 95819 Folsom, CA 95630

Tel: 916-254-2100
Fax: 916-254-2122
http://www.passporthealthnca.com


Please contact your health insurance to see if they cover travel immunizations. Kaiser does, but United Health does not.