Travel health update
Travel health can be complicated and advice for health professionals is ever-changing. Jane Chiodini seeks out and presents the latest advice to help you keep your practice up to date
YELLOW FEVER CERTIFICATE CHANGES
From 11 July the period of validity of the International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis (ICVP) will change from 10 years to the duration of the life of the person vaccinated; this will apply to all ICVPs for yellow fever vaccination, including certificates already issued, and new or duplicate certificates. A valid ICVP, presented by arriving travellers, cannot be rejected on the grounds that more than ten years have passed since the date the vaccination became effective as stated on the certificate; and boosters or revaccination cannot be required. The Q&A document from the WHO (http://www.who.int/ith/annex7-ihr.pdf?ua=1) advises that from 11 July 2016 we should write on any new certificates we issue the validity period ‘life of person vaccinated’. A new list of vaccination requirements and recommendations for international travellers, including yellow fever and malaria from WHO (http://www.who.int/ith/2016-ith-county-list.pdf?ua=1) contains the detail for each country. This information is busily being used by TRAVAX for yellow fever centres in Scotland and NaTHNaC for yellow fever centres in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and you should be reviewing the websites specific to your governance to ensure you are up to date on all changes.
OLYMPIC GAMES PREPARATION
The Press is having a field day over the controversy over whether or not the Olympic Games should be held in Brazil in light of the threat of Zika virus. Brazil is a tropical country so the travel risk assessment will highlight not only the outbreak of Zika, but also that travellers intending to attend some of the football games being held in locations such as Belo Horizonte and Manaus will need yellow fever vaccine and malaria chemoprophylaxis. Both NaTHNaC and TRAVAX have very useful guidance which should be shared with your travellers. There are several mosquito borne infections present in Brazil and the PHE Mosquito bite avoidance for travellers leaflet should be readily to hand during your consultations. See Mosquito advice sheet v2.pdf. Please also consider also having the algorithm for Zika advice for pregnant women, those planning pregnancy and their partners from NaTHNaC, available at http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Travel-to-area-with-active-ZIKV-transmission.pdf
With so many available resources now for Zika, NaTHNaC has a quick link page to help, at http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/zika-virus-quick-links/
ILGA MAPS
The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) is the worldwide federation of 1,200 member organisations from 125 countries. Established in 1978, ILGA campaigns for equal rights for LGBTI people. In May 2016, ILGA published updated maps, which would be very helpful for any travellers these issues may concern. For the first time the previous single overview map has evolved into a unique set of separate maps to chart where criminalisation, protection and recognition laws are enacted. http://ilga.org/what-we-do/lesbian-gay-rights-maps/ I have to say I was taken aback at such intolerance in some countries, far greater than I was aware of, and think this knowledge is important to be aware of when advising our travellers.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
I am delighted to have teamed up with the Royal College of Nursing to present a series of Travel Health Update Workshops later this year. The events are to held in London, Newcastle, Cardiff, Leicester and Leeds. Running from 12 midday, we hope the timing will enable you to travel to your nearest venue even if it perhaps isn’t on your doorstep. Each session will cover updates on many topics, including vaccines, malaria, professional issues and the very latest developments in travel, as well as the opportunity to mix with colleagues and meet the sponsors of the event, GlaxoSmithKline and PaxVax. With face to face education diminishing in quantity, I’m really looking forward – hopefully – to meeting many of you at one of these locations. For more detail see http://www.janechiodini.co.uk/education/update/