Long-awaited overseas trips could be marred by infectious diseases: TMA

A nationwide survey* of more than 1000 Australians has found that only 15% of people who plan to travel overseas this year have fully researched and understand the health recommendations relevant to their destination.¹

Dr Deb Mills, Medical Director of the Travel Medicine Alliance (TMA) group of travel health clinics, warned that “many Australians are tempting fate” and that “enthusiasm to head overseas mustn’t overshadow the health risks”.

“A consultation with a doctor at least six weeks before travelling could be the difference between lying on a beach or lying on a hospital bed in a foreign country,” Dr Mills said.

“Last-minute vaccinations do not give the immune system long enough to do its job. Timing is an incredibly important factor for good travel health.”

The TMA is concerned that many of the 8.5 million Australians planning overseas trips are unprepared when it comes to travel health and could be at risk of contracting infectious diseases such as measles, hepatitis, typhoid and polio.¹

The survey of those who intend to travel overseas found 1 in 3 (31%) would either not see a doctor to discuss travel health and vaccination requirements or would leave a consultation too close to their departure to receive optimum protection.^1,2

Mills said the poll indicates many people do not realise the dangers from infectious diseases other than COVID-19, “many of which have serious health consequences, including hospitalisation and long-term illness”.

Survey respondents indicated they were more likely to investigate COVID-19 vaccination requirements (56%) than other travel vaccination recommendations (36%).¹

“Australians need to look beyond COVID and understand other health risks and prevention strategies before they travel,” Mills said. “There are many other travel-related diseases that have not gone away.

“Preventable illness can turn a long-awaited and expensive trip into a holiday from hell, where not only time is lost but financial losses are significant as well.”

UNICEF and the World Health Organization recently warned of a “perfect storm” of conditions for measles outbreaks, with recent trends showing a surge in global cases.³

“Many people are surprised to discover that some of the vaccines they received as a child do not provide lifelong protection and that many infectious diseases that have disappeared from Australia are still very much present overseas,” Mills said.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there were nearly a million monthly overseas departures in July and August 2022, the highest since mid-2020.⁴ This figure is expected to increase, with the poll indicating that 43% of adult Australians intend to travel overseas in the remainder of 2022 or 2023.¹

Mills advises international holiday-makers, people visiting friends and relatives, and those going on business trips to follow government recommendations on www.smartraveller.gov.au or visit www.vaccinehub.com.au/travel.

*The nationwide poll of a representative sample (1023) of respondents aged 18 years and over who indicate an intention to travel overseas was undertaken by YouGov in September 2022 on behalf of Sanofi Australia.

^{1.    Travel Poll, YouGov. September 2022
2.    Australian Government. Immunisation for Travel. 2022. Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/immunisation/when-to-get-vaccinated/immunisation-for-travel
3.    World Health Organisation. UNICEF and WHO warn of perfect storm of conditions for measles outbreaks, affecting children. April 2022.
4.    Australian Government. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Overseas and Departures, Australia. Available at: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/overseas-arrivals-and-departures-australia/latest-release
5.    NHS. Typhoid fever factsheet. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/typhoid-fever}

Image credit: iStockphoto.com/Renata Angerami