private Service
Travel Clinic
Your Local Innovative Travel Clinic in Orpington
Are you about to head off on your gap year of travel? Are you getting ready for your spiritual journey to Mecca for Hajj or Umrah? Or are you jetting off for a few days on a business trip to a more exotic country?
Wherever you are going in this world, the Petts Wood Pharmacy Travel Clinic in Orpington is here to keep you safe and protected along your way.
Why are travel vaccinations important?
When you travel to a more exotic country, you may be exposed to pathogens that your body does not have protection against. We call this protection “immunity”, hence the word “immunisations”. This may lead to infection and disease, for example, Hepatitis A or Yellow Fever which will, of course, lead to illness. In some cases, these illnesses can be very severe or even fatal. By having a vaccination, or multiple before you travel, you will develop protection against them. This is extremely important because some of these diseases are often life-threatening. In addition, for your travel insurance to be valid you may be required to have specific vaccinations.
How do travel vaccines work?
Travel vaccines work in very similar ways to each other and there are many different types that provide immunity against a variety of diseases. Essentially, you’re injected with a solution that mimics the invading pathogen of the disease. This will then stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies (white blood cells) that are designed to fight off the specific infection. Therefore, if you’re ever exposed to the bacteria or virus, your defence system will kill it before any harm can be done to you.
Ideally, you should get vaccinated at least 21 days (sometimes more for others such as the Rabies vaccine) before you travel to your destination. This will ensure that your body has time to produce all the antibodies needed for maximum protection.
Petts Wood Pharmacy Travel Clinic is protecting people in Orpington and the surrounding areas.
At Petts Wood Pharmacy Travel Clinic we offer bookings and walk-in appointments to suit your needs. Our pharmacists have received specific training in providing travel vaccinations services. The service will be provided in a private consultation room where you can ask any questions you might have during the consultation. It’s important that you bring any previous immunisation history with you to help the pharmacist work out what vaccination(s) you need.
We also offer a range of travel essentials such as mosquito repellents, flight socks, Diarrhoea relief, and rehydration therapies. Contact us today to book an appointment or visit us at the pharmacy. We look forward to seeing you.