Do You Need Travel Vaccinations? A Guide.

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Do You Need Travel Vaccinations? A Guide - OR - Travel Vaccinations Ensure Safety AbroadThink being up-to-date on routine vaccinations means you’re a go for travel? If you’re visiting a foreign country, you may be in for a nasty surprise. Seasoned global event travel agencies know those traveling abroad can be exposed to illnesses rarely encountered in the U.S. Luckily, it is not difficult to get the protection you need with travel vaccinations.

Travel Vaccines Are Anything But Routine

The best corporate travel companies ensure travelers in-the-know. Seasoned agents are aware those going abroad need more than routine vaccinations, which protect you from common, serious diseases. Oftentimes travel vaccines for diseases that are uncommon in the U.S. are necessary to protect you from diseases rampant in other parts of the world.

Plan for Success

Most vaccinations need to be taken ahead of time to give you full protection against disease. Talk to your healthcare professional as soon as you are aware you’re traveling abroad, at least a month before international travel. Bring your current vaccine records to each appointment. Some vaccines require multiple doses for maximum effect, or a specific period of time to elapse before your body is able to build immunity. Those not up-to-date on routine vaccines, which are also necessary prior to travel, may require a number of vaccinations over a longer time period. To protect your health, if you know you’ll be traveling abroad schedule necessary appointments quickly. Your doctor may not stock some rare travel vaccines, and additional visits to a travel clinic may be necessary.

Determining Which Travel Vaccines You Need

Corporate travel planners know necessary travel vaccinations vary depending on where you are traveling to, the activities you plan to engage in while you are away, and the state of your health. Thus, the recommended vaccinations for two people traveling to the same country may be different. In addition to ensuring you are current on all routine vaccinations, you should research disease outbreaks specific to your continent of travel. You may need any one or more of the following common travel vaccines, in addition to some which may not be listed here:

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Typhoid/Paratyphoid Fever
  • Yellow Fever
  • Malaria
  • Meningococcal
  • Rabies
  • Japanese Encephalitis

Required Vs. Recommended Vaccines

CDC-required vaccines must be taken for travelers to enter a country. In many circumstances, this includes the yellow fever vaccine, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes affecting the liver and kidneys that is often fatal. Only registered providers can administer this vaccine, which MUST be taken at least 10-days before travel. However, there may also be vaccines required by the country to which you are traveling. These are designed to prevent visitors from bringing illnesses into the country. Based on outbreaks, these requirements are subject to change. Recommended vaccines are those vaccines recommended by the CDC to protect your health, but not required for travel. Typhoid is a commonly recommended vaccine, which is spread by contaminated food and water and causes serious illness.

Ensure safe travel. Get the business travel planning assistance you need with GTI Travel today.

 

Boeing 737 Max Jet Grounding by FAA – How it Impacts your Business Travelers

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Boeing 737 Max Jet Grounding by FAA - How it Impacts your Business TravelersAs investigations continue into the second fatal Boeing 737 Max 8 crash in just 5 months, a number of these aircraft have been grounded globally. Until the investigation is complete, it remains unknown how long these planes will remain out of commission. This has left corporate travel agents scrambling to meet the needs of their business travel clients. How severely will your staff be affected?

The Problem at Issue

A report from the Wall Street Journal citing multiple unnamed sources and released March 29th indicates preliminary findings on the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing Max 8 Flight 302 crash point to a flight control feature automatically activating before the plane took a nose-dive. This feature, the MCAS system, automatically lowers the nose of the aircraft after receiving a signal from sensors that the aircraft is flying too steeply/slowly. This data was reportedly retrieved from the flight’s black boxes. This shows similarities to an earlier Lion Air crash a few months prior. The findings are not final, and the investigation continues. To-date, Boeing officials state their audits indicate nothing of concern.

The Number of Planes Grounded

The grounding order includes not only Boeing 737-8 models, which were involved in the accidents but also larger but also Boeing 737-9s, which are similar in design. The first models of these planes hit the air only in 2017, and while the number of planes affected isn’t massive, it may still have a significant impact. How many planes were grounded in the U.S. and globally, and how far will they stretch your travel expense policy guidelines?

  • Southwest:34 aircraft out of Southwest’s fleet of just 750 aircraft.
  • American:24 aircraft out of American’s fleet of 1,500 planes, including regional aircraft.
  • United:14 aircraft out of United’s fleet of 1,300, planes, including regional aircraft.

Lasting Service Disruption Potential

According to recent reports, business travel agencies and their customers could suffer flight cancellations for weeks or months. Though United isn’t expecting any current or future cancellations due to the grounded planes, American Airlines is canceling around 90 flights a day. Those affected can request refunds if they prefer not to rebook. Southwest is canceling about 130 of its 4,000 daily flights at present, rebooking with no extra fees or fare differentials. Most American services aren’t offering a timetable on how long such flight issues could continue, as it remains unknown when the grounded planes will be allowed to return to service. However, neighbor Air Canada has expressed its flight cancellations could last well into the summer travel season, as its fleet of 737 Max planes make up 12% of its fleet.

Possible Price Increase Looms on Horizon

Those looking for corporate expense management solutions will be saddened to know, in light of increased summer demand, if lost seating and cancellations continue due to the grounded aircraft, summer airfares will likely rise.

Ensure your employees stay safe with minimal disruptions to business travel. Learn more about the business travel services of GTI Travel today.