Travelers should make pit stop at travel clinic

As winter break approaches and students make travel plans, they may want Student Health Services to help prepare them for their trips. To do this, the health services offer a special travel clinic to help ensure that students don’t become ill when traveling abroad.

Different places of travel in the United States and around the world require different vaccinations, so the clinic is tailored to each student and the places they intend to travel.

Dr. David Nelson, along with Chris Charbonneau, a nurse practitioner, and Susan Tatu, the head nurse at MCV’s Student Health Services, jointly operate the travel clinic.

“We go by the CDC recommendations,” Nelson said. “They have recommendations for different areas. It depends on what is prevalent in that area as far as what someone will need a vaccine for.”

Besides vaccinations, students can learn about special travel and safety tips.

“Be aware that travel abroad is not the same as domestic travel, (and) that there are other risks involved. We take the time to review those risks and anticipate them,”

Nelson said. “I also recommend that they (students) get travel accident and health insurance because regular health insurance sometimes does not provide adequate coverage abroad.”

Even students who haven’t traveled out of the country could gain considerable pretravel information.

“I would probably attend a pre-travel consultation because I know nothing about traveling to a foreign country,” said Liz Hopson, a photography major.

Other students say they know the importance of being immunized before travel.

“It is necessary to stay up-to-date with your vaccinations to help protect yourself from sickness,” said Alex Diaz, a homeland security and emergency preparedness major.

Students need to schedule appointments for the travel clinic at the Monroe Park or Medical Center campuses.

“You should visit a travel clinic at least six- to eight-weeks prior to travel. It takes your vaccines two- to four-weeks to develop antibodies. You want to get full protection before you leave for your trip,” said Tatu, noting that more students tend to use the clinic around the holidays and in the summertime.