Travel health update

Changes to yellow fever vaccine certificates; New regulations for travel to South Africa; Emporiatrics is back; New Travax guide for school trips; British Global and Travel Health Association news

YELLOW FEVER CHANGES

Last month the World Health Organization (WHO) updated its list of yellow fever (YF) vaccine certificate requirements and recommendations, and also published a revised 2015 map for Africa. The current map for South America remains unchanged from the published 2013 edition (do make sure you are using these latest maps!). Some countries have now stated the validity of the YF certificate to be ‘lifelong’. NaTHNaC and TRAVAX have advised that where a YF certificate is issued for the first time, the period of validity should be written as 10 years, and where a YF certificate was issued more than 10 years ago, no amendment should be made. It is presumed that those countries stating ‘lifelong’ will accept certificates issued more than ten years ago. This follows the WHO declaration in May 2013 that protection from yellow fever vaccination is considered to be lifelong for immunocompetent individuals. See http://www.nathnac.org/pro/clinical_updates/yfcertif_rec_100615.htm

NEW REGULATION FOR TRAVEL TO SOUTH AFRICA

New rules were introduced from 1 June 2015 for people travelling to South Africa or transiting through a South African airport with a child. The parents must be able to produce the child’s full unabridged birth certificate. The South African Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that no supporting documents will be required by people in direct transit through a South African International Airport, but there are additional requirements if the child is travelling with only one parent, with neither biological parent, or unaccompanied. Comprehensive information is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa/entry-requirements

EMPORIATRICS

This magazine from the Faculty of Travel Medicine (FTM) of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow hasn’t been published for a year but a new source of funding sees it back in production under the editorial control of travel health specialist nurse Sandra Grieve. The latest issue includes topics such as travel to Costa Rica, the challenges of maternity care in Kenya, and news of the many activities of the FTM. The new issue, plus back issues can be found on my website at http://www.janechiodini.co.uk/education/emporiatrics/

TRAVAX SCHOOL DOCUMENT

The very useful TRAVAX publication ‘Travel health guidance for schools’ document, first published in 2013, was updated in May this year. The document aims to provide practical advice on health issues for those going on an overseas excursion, especially for those intending to visit a country where there are health hazards not found in the UK. Advice and information on health considerations to be included in the planning stage of overseas excursions will help organisers, parents and pupils alike, and lead to a more consistent and effective approach to healthcare for school travellers. This help would be in addition to your individual risk assessment within your consultation. In such situations I would sometimes email the link or even the PDF document to the student, their parent and sometimes a school staff member contact. Why not even consider putting a link from the travel section of your surgery website if you have one. See http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/general-travel-health-advice/school-groups.aspx

BGTHA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE

The British Global and Travel Health Association (BGTHA) has launched a new website. This organisation, set up in the late 1990s, aims to promote a multi-disciplinary approach to international travel health, by bringing together healthcare professionals and people working in the travel and pharmaceutical industries – in fact, anyone involved in global health and the health of travellers. BGTHA offers information and education, as well as research grants and bursaries to stimulate research on travel and global health issues. Membership offers the opportunity to list your travel clinic and have it displayed on an interactive map, and to join a free Webinar program intended to refresh and update knowledge of the essentials of travel related medicine. This will take the form of a series of presentations by leaders in the discipline who have practical experience in the field. The webinars will be available from Autumn onwards. For more information see www.bgtha.org