Travel Clinics:
Have you ever heard of a Travel Clinic? I hadn’t, and I’ve traveled to many countries outside the US. Travel Clinics are in every major city and offer lots of valuable information when traveling to different countries outside the US, like vaccinations needed, entry and exit country requirements, embassy information, and country health alerts. However, I found out after visiting, they can be very costly depending on the number of vaccinations needed. They charge a $99 consultation fee on your first visit. Good news, there are alternatives to reducing Travel Clinic cost you can take advantage of, I wish I had known about.
Alternatives to Travel Clinic:
In the US, each county has a Public Health clinic, and they offer most of the same benefits as a Travel Clinic for 1/3 of the cost. For example, initial consultation fee is $50 and yellow fever vaccination at the Travel Clinic in 2021 was $310 versus $230 at the County Public Health clinic.
Vaccinations Needed:
Because I am traveling to 12 African countries, the Travel Clinic recommended 12 shots over the course of a year prior to travel, some shots had to be done in multiple parts. Which means its best to visit either clinic as early as possible. See a list of shots I needed below. Note, some shots are covered by insurance, but many are not which is another reason you want to visit in advance of travel. Some shots provide lifetime coverage and are recorded on your Yellow Vaccine Immunization Card, recognized by the World Health Organization. Pre-pandemic, the card was used to record vaccinations against various diseases such as cholera, polio, and yellow fever.
That’s all for now, a few vaccination tips I learned planning my yearlong journey of travel across Africa. Hope you learned something new as well.
Comments