Travellers Health in Fiji
Travel health depends on your predeparture preparations, your day-to-day health care while travelling and how you handle any medical problem or emergency that does develop. For those who have never been in the South Seas, the extreme changes in humidity, the heat, torrential rains, food, mosquitoes and other conditions may tax the system. The best advice is to take it easy for the first few days until you are acclimatised.
While the list of potential dangers can seem quite frightening, with a little luck, some basic precautions and adequate information few travellers experience more than upset stomachs.
Your Health Make sure you're healthy before you start travelling. If you are embarking on a long trip make sure your teeth are OK, there are lots of places where a visit to the dentist would be the last thing you'd want to do.
If you're shortsighted bring a spare pair of glasses and your prescription. Losing your glasses or contact lenses can be a real problem although in many places you can get new spectacles made up quickly, cheaply and competently.
If you require a particular medication take an adequate supply as it may not be available locally. Take the prescription, with the generic rather than the brand name which may not be locally available, as it will make getting replacements easier. It's a wise idea to have the prescription with you to show you legally use the medication, it's surprising how often over-the-counter drugs from one place are illegal without a prescription or even banned in another.
Note that Fiji is malaria-free, but if you plan to visit a malaria-infected area before or after Fiji, make sure you seek advice from your doctor about malarial prophylactics.
Immunisation These days vaccination as an entry requirement is usually only enforced when you are coming from an infected area - yellow fever and cholera are the two most likely requirements. Nevertheless, all vaccinations should be recorded on an International Health Certificate which is available from your physician or health department.
Plan ahead for getting your vaccinations since some of them require an initial shot followed by a booster while some vaccinations should not be given together. Most travellers from Western countries will have been immunised against various diseases during childhood, but your doctor may still recommend booster shots against measles or polio, diseases still prevalent in many developing countries. The period of protection offered by vaccinations differs widely and some are contraindicated if you are pregnant.
In some countries immunisations are available from airport or government health centres. Travel agencies or airline offices will tell you where. The possible list of vaccinations includes:
Cholera Fiji requires cholera vaccination if you are coming from an infected area. However, protection from the vaccination is not very effective, only lasts six months and is contraindicated for pregnancy.
Tetanus & Diptheria Boosters are necessary every 10 years and protection is highly recommended.
Typhoid Protection lasts for three years and is useful if you are travelling for long in rural, tropical areas. You may get some side effects such as pain at the injection site, fever, headache and a general unwell feeling.
Infectious Hepatitis Gamma globulin is not a vaccination, but a ready-made antibody which has proven very successful in reducing the chances of hepatitis infection. Because it may interfere with the development of immunity, it should not be given until at least 10 days after administration of the last vaccine needed and as close as possible to departure because of its relatively short-lived protection period of six months.
Yellow Fever Fiji requires vaccination only if you are coming from an infected area - chiefly Africa and Latin America. Protection lasts 10 years. Vaccination is contraindicated in pregnancy, but if you are going to a high-risk area it is probably advisable.
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