VACCINATIONS
GENERAL PRINCIPLES
1. Immunizations offer relative, not absolute, protection against disease.
2. The reliability of the protection of a vaccine is related to the condition of the recipient; vaccines are less effective in,
a. Those immune impaired from steroids, chemotherapy agents, certain diseases.
b. Recent systemic illness (especially with fever).
c. Malnourished, actively ill individuals.
3. Live vs. Killed – Live vaccines are generally more effective, but are potentially or actually contraindicated in certain situations – the very elderly, pregnancy, immune-compromised.
4. Time to Protective Effect – In general, at least 2 weeks are needed for the immune system to generate the desired immune response to a vaccine; this assumes a healthy immune system.
Booster doses of vaccines may act more quickly.
5. Vaccination at least 6 weeks prior to travel is recommended.
6. Recurrent/Prolonged Travel Exposure – Some vaccines, because of nominal disease exposure risk (relatively low prevalence of disease agent), can be justified in terms of expense and/or risk for vaccine complications only if there will be substantial cumulative risk over time of infection, such as with prolonged or recurrent travel to disease risk areas (or if there is current, local epidemic activity of the disease):
a. Hepatitis B
b. Japanese encephalitis
c. Meningococcal (meningitis)
d. Rabies
7. Required/ Recommended/ Standard Vaccines
a. Required: The only standing required vaccine for country entry is yellow fever (YF) vaccine. This is so for sub-Saharan African countries, much of South America, Trinidad/Tobago, and most countries being entered after passing through a YF virus endemic area.
However, any country, at any time, can designate any vaccination as required for entry in the face of risk of or an actual ongoing epidemic outbreak of an infection. Check with a country’s embassy about “breaking” situations in the weeks just prior to travel. For example, COVID-19 vaccination.
b. Recommended: These are vaccines that are considered prudent because of the local disease activity of specific infectious agents and the expected potential exposure of the traveler due to trip itinerary and duration and the activities of the traveler.
c. Standard: These are vaccines that, in industrialized nations, are considered recommended by public health policy to both protect the individual as well as the population from diseases that are potentially highly prevalent – such as tetanus, influenza, measles.
All of these principles are considered in devising the most cost-effective, medically prudent immunization plan for a trip.
How do I schedule an appointment?
Online: Schedule an Appointment.
Call Us: (713) 550-2000 A customer service representative will help you choose an appointment time, and can forward any documents you will need to complete prior to your visit.