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Public Health Travel Clinic
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Please Note: Due to a short-term shortage of rabies vaccine due to high demand during the summer, Downtown Public Health Travel Clinic will not be able to provide travelers with pre-exposure rabies vaccine prior to their trip. We expect the supply of rabies vaccine to return to normal by April 2013. We apologize for any inconvenience to travelers due to this issue.
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Where to get your travel assessment and immunizations |
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Public Health - Seattle & King County offers timely information about health-related risks while traveling abroad.
The Downtown (Seattle) Public Health travel clinic offer full Travelers' Health Care Clinics including Travel Assessment, travel immunizations, and prescription medications for malaria prevention, altitude sickness and treatment of travelers' diarrhea and other travel-related conditions.
- Travel Immunizations by appointment: Monday through Friday.
- Initial travel visits with a nurse are available by appointment by calling 206-296-4960.
- Travel prescriptions are available by appointment Monday through Wednesday.
- Download the Travel Clinic Brochure (PDF)
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The travel assessment process |
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Travel is a lot of fun and a great way to increase your appreciation of our world, but there can be risks associated with traveling and living in all areas of the world.
When you're traveling abroad, a travel assessment will help you prepare for any health risks of your trip. During the travel assessment, the travel clinic nurse provides information and emphasizes the best ways to prevent travel-related illnesses.
A traveler's regular health care provider should evaluate pre-existing medical conditions.
Please note: A travel assessment is required in order to receive travel immunizations at a Public Health - Seattle & King County clinic. Be prepared to provide answers for the following questions for the assessment:
Review your itinerary:
- What countries will you visit, and in what order?
Some countries require proof of vaccination when you enter from certain countries because of diseases that may be occurring in those areas.
- How long will you stay in each country?
With longer trips, you have more potential exposure to insects, food- and water-borne illness and other infectious diseases.
- When does your trip begin?
If you're leaving in less than two weeks, you may not have time to get all the recommended doses of vaccine, or you may not have developed full protection yet.
Risk factors for health problems on your trip:
- What type of accommodations will you stay in?
- Where will you eat your meals and get water to drink?
- What types of activities will you participate in on your trip?
Do they involve high altitude, swimming in areas with water-borne bacteria or parasites, possible exposure to bites of domestic or wild animals, etc.?
- Are insects a problem where you're going?
Diseases spread by mosquitoes occur all over the world, even in areas of the world we usually think of as safe (Mexico and Hawaii).
Review of your medical history:
- Allergies
- Medications
- Chronic illnesses or medical conditions
- Pregnancy
Medical and emergency care while traveling:
- Where would you get health care in an emergency during your trip?
- What first aid supplies should you bring with you?
- Do you have prescription medications or eyeglasses?
Vaccine requirements and recommendations:
- Which vaccines are required or recommended? What vaccines have you already had?
- How to schedule needed doses-some vaccines may be given together, some must be separated in time from other vaccines, some require more than one dose and have specific minimum time intervals.
- Some vaccines or medications (for example, anti-malarial medication and oral typhoid vaccine) require a prescription.
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Available travel vaccines for children and adults in addition to routine vaccines they may need |
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Hepatitis A:
Hepatitis B:
Immune globulin:
This may be given in addition to hepatitis A vaccine for some travelers, or instead of hepatitis A vaccine for children under one year of age who are too young to receive the vaccine.
Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV):
Inactivated polio vaccine is recommended routinely for children up through age 18 years. IPV may be given to certain adults age 19 and older depending on their travel plans.
Japanese encephalitis:
Meningococcal:
Meningococcal vaccine is also available at Eastgate and Columbia Public Health Centers in addition to Public Health's Travel Clinics.
Two meningococcal vaccines are available: Menactra (meningococcal conjugate vaccine, licensed for age 11 years through 55 years) and Menomune (meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine, licensed for age 2 years and older). All Public Health clinics have Menactra for age 11 years through 18 years, which is routinely recommended for all adolescents. Travel clinics have Menactra for age 19 years and older and Menomune for age 2 years and older.
Washington passed a law, RCW 70.95M.115, that restricts the use of vaccines that contain thimerosal for children under 3 years of age and for pregnant women, effective July 1, 2007. The law affects flu vaccine in multiple-dose vials, meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine and Japanese Encephalitis vaccine. Information about RCW 70.95M.115 (PDF).
Rabies:
Typhoid, oral and vi-polysaccharide:
Yellow fever:
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Additional immunization resources |
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Email, fax and phone numbers:
- LOCAL: Public Health - Seattle & King County
- Immunization Program: 206-296-4774
- Vaccine Distribution Program: 206-296-4782
- Communicable Disease Hotline: 206-296-4949
- Email: vaccineinfo@kingcounty.gov
- STATE: Washington State Immunization Program:
- Main number: 360-236-3595
- FEDERAL: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- National Immunization Program e-mail address: nipinfo@cdc.gov
- Telephone consultation: CDC-INFO Contact Center, staffed 8 am-11pm (EST)
- English and Spanish: 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636)
- CDC Fax Information Service: 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299)
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