Vacunemonos: Be Prepared for Summer Travels

As many folks pack up to hit the road, there is an important item to add to the checklist that could be easily overlooked: keeping up-to-date with your vaccinations.

You don’t have to leave the country to encounter a vaccine-preventable disease, which is why everyone should take the proper precautions to avoid catching infectious viruses and bacteria.

Make sure to check your vaccination record as part of your travel planning routine, especially if you are visiting a foreign country. There are certain diseases that may not be common in the U.S., such as malaria, that still are prevalent in other parts of the world.

Stay up-to-date on your recommended vaccines. Remember that immunizations are like taking medicine. Over time they may not be as effective, which is why booster shots may be needed.

Know the 3 Rs of smart traveling. There are three types of vaccines for travelers:

• Routine: these immunizations protect you from diseases that are still common in many parts of the world, but may rarely occur in the U.S.
• Recommended: some vaccines are recommended to protect travelers from preventable diseases and from spreading them across borders.
• Required: at the moment, the yellow fever vaccine is the only one required by the International Health Regulations to visit certain sub-Saharan and South American countries.

Be aware of current travel notices and outbreaks. Depending on where you travel to, you might need vaccines that are not usually recommended or to take other precautions.

For more information, click here to visit the CDC’s Travel Health page.

Vacunémonos (Let’s Get Vaccinated) is a national health initiative sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to inform and empower Hispanic older adults, their families, and caregivers about vaccines and the importance of protecting the whole family against preventable infectious diseases.