Lots of people find the idea of booking a last-minute flight and jetting off to faraway places very appealing at this time of year. Indeed, the thought of leaving Britain’s plummeting temperatures behind and spending some time in a place which is anything but cold and grey is well worth considering, especially when television weather forecasters seem to insist on ending every bulletin with a warning of some kind.
Of course, there are a number of things which travellers need to consider before packing their bags and flying off to an exotic corner of the globe. For instance, knowing whether or not English is predominantly spoken, having an idea of what seasonal weather variations are likely to be encountered and making sure travel insurance policies are up-to-date are all things which a conscientious traveller would do well to check before booking their airport taxis.
However, there is one other consideration which makes the aforementioned examples seem rather insignificant in comparison – travel vaccinations.
Travel vaccinations
Whilst travel vaccinations (‘jabs’) are not something to worry about when going on short haul jaunts to popular destinations in the Mediterranean, they are a vital consideration when travelling farther afield. This is because travellers who are not used to the conditions in an unfamiliar locale are often at greater risk of contracting maladies that are particular to that part of the world. The consequences of this can range from catching a holiday-ruining stomach bug to contracting a life-changing disease.
Being immunised with suitable travel vaccinations can help to reduce such risks significantly.
Spontaneous travel
Whilst flying off to an exotic locale within a day or two of deciding to get away is a very liberating and exciting thing to do, it does throw up a few concerns with regard to getting certain immunisations. Indeed, it is often the case that GPs and local NHS clinics providing immunisation services expect patients to make appointments days or weeks in advance. Needless to say, this pretty much quashes the prospect of jetting away on a whim before the idea has even had to time to take hold.
Fortunately, this is not something which people living in and around the East Midlands need to worry about as they are fortunate enough to have private clinics in their area which provide same day travel clinic services.
To be sure, residents in this part of the world with an overwhelming urge to travel can take advantage of a private clinic in Nottingham, or call upon private doctors in Leicester and a private GP in Derby to provide them with the jabs they need, then and there. This is because these three healthcare providers are all part of the TravelDoc programme, a doctor-led initiative which offers easy access, same day walk-in services across the East Midlands.
So, anyone in the local area who is looking to enjoy a trouble-free trip overseas – spontaneous or otherwise – can rest assured they have plenty of travel vaccination options available.
About the author – Bo Heamyan blogs regularly about foreign travel and has written extensively about the importance of obtaining suitable inoculations for a number of industry leading websites, including RegentStreetClinic.co.uk.
