Your guide to healthy and safe travelling
The first destination on any itinerary should always be to a travel clinic to ensure that you’re protected against any vaccine and medication preventable illness, as well as advised of necessary precautions, so you can remain healthy and focused on enjoying your journey.
Risk of travel-related illness varies according to destination and activities, while the choice of medications such as antimalarials and antibiotics can depend on the health status of the traveller. Our travel health physicians, pharmacists and nurses are certified by the International Society of Travel Medicine, are experienced travel health clinicians and travellers, and can advise you on the most up-to-date guidelines for illnesses including the following:
altitude sickness
hepatitis A & B
Japanese encephalitis
meningococcal disease
traveller’s diarrhea
rabies
yellow fever
If one of our clinic locations isn’t convenient for you, we offer telemedicine (video conferencing) consults to anyone in Canada, from any device. Ideally, you’ll want to book your appointment at least 6 weeks in advance, as vaccines generally require time to elicit a full immune response, and some require multiple doses several weeks apart. In case you’re travelling at the last minute however, a first dose is still a good start, and we’re available for evening and weekend bookings.
In addition to travel vaccines, be sure to stay current on all of your public health funded vaccines available through your doctor, school, or local public health unit (if you don’t have a health card, or doctor). Immunize Canada recommends the CANImmunize app to track your immunization record, which we’ll update it for you with your travel vaccines, or we can provide you with our vaccination record. To learn more about immunizations in Canada click here, or to check your province’s routine immunization schedule, click here.
Please note, there is currently a shortage of the following vaccines:
yellow fever
hepatits A
hepatitis B
combination hepatitis A & B
Divy, how do we address this? ‘another site states: *There is currently a shortage of the yellow fever vaccine in Canada, so we may need to arrange an in-person visit for you at your nearest centre . If you’re unsure, book a 5-minute chat with one of our practitioners. Our Kingston location is a Designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre.’
Your in-clinic travel consultation (Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo, Kingston) includes :
a medical history assessment including tips on how to minimize jet lag and adjust medications for new time zones (eg. insulin)
all required medications and vaccines
a vaccination record along with official documentation as required for entry to your destination
an emailed copy of our recommendations for your destinations outlining preventive measures, current disease risks, travel advisories, and guidance on obtaining health care services abroad in case of emergencies
Telemedicine consults available anywhere in Canada includes:
a telemedicine (video conferencing) consult available to anyone in Canada on any device
a medical history assessment including tips on how to minimize jet lag and adjust medications for new time zones (eg. insulin)
a prescription for all required medications and vaccines faxed to one of our partner pharmacies closest to you to have your vaccines administered by a certified injection pharmacist (oral meds delivered to your home?), or we will make arrangements with a more convenient location.
a vaccination record along with official documentation as required for entry to your destination
an emailed copy of our recommendations for your destinations outlining preventive measures, current disease risks, travel advisories, and guidance on obtaining health care services abroad in case of emergencies