Summer is here and it’s the ideal time to enjoy a summer holiday by travelling to a new country to explore the culture, cuisine, and landscape. But before boarding the plane, visit your local Intrigue Health Travel Clinic to make sure you have all the vaccinations you need to prevent serious diseases like yellow fever if you’re travelling to high-risk countries like Africa or Central and South America during the summer.
Protecting yourself with the yellow fever vaccination is the best way to stay healthy while travelling. Keep reading to learn more and the importance of the yellow fever vaccination for your summer travels.
Why It’s Important To Get The Yellow Fever Vaccine For Summer Travel?
The yellow fever vaccine is recommended for those who are living or travelling in countries and areas that are at high-risk of the yellow fever virus including:
- Africa
- South America
- Central America
Large epidemics of yellow fever occur generally occur where the general population has little or no immunity, due to lack of vaccination. It’s also particularly important to protect yourself from yellow fever with the vaccine if you are travelling to these countries during the summer months when humidity is high, and the mosquitoes are breeding.
Mosquito numbers increase significantly during this time, putting you at a higher risk of getting bitten by an infected mosquito and getting yellow fever.
Causes of Yellow Fever
Yellow fever is caused by a flu-like viral disease that’s carried by the Aedes aegypti species of mosquitoes which is most commonly found in South and Central America as well as sub-Saharan Africa. If you get bitten by an infected mosquito, you can develop yellow fever.
Symptoms Of Yellow Fever
Yellow fever develops quickly once you’ve been exposed to it, with symptoms typically appearing around 3 to 6 days after exposure.
Yellow fever symptoms include:
- fever and chills
- jaundice
- headaches
- body aches
- flushing
- loss of appetite
Treatment for Yellow Fever
While there is no specific cure for this disease, treatment focuses on managing symptoms and boosting the immune system with home remedies and over-the-counter medication. Mild cases of yellow fever usually go away on their own, but severe cases may require more aggressive medication and hospitalisation.
If you need to get routine or travel vaccines, make an appointment at Intrigue Health in South London. We offer a wide range of healthcare services that range from vaccines, to blood tests, and comprehensive lab tests.
Click here to make an appointment.
