Travel Vaccination Clinic

Flying and airports have always presented unique health challenges. You also need to consider whether you require any vaccinations depending upon your country of destination. 

Shingles is an infection which causes a painful rash and is also called Herpes Zoster.  It infects nerves and the skin around them and is caused by the varicella-zoster virus.  There is a Shingles vaccine to protect against the disease but this is only available on the NHS for people in their 70s.

Yellow Fever is a serious infection spread by mosquitoes and is prevalent in parts of Africa, South America, Central America and Trinidad in the Caribbean.  There is a yellow fever vaccine which is recommended if you are travelling to any of these areas where the infection is found.

A professional travel vaccination service or travel clinic will advise you of the vaccinations you need depending on your country of travel; whether you are on holiday or perhaps working or studying in this location which can also be relevant.  Touchwood Pharmacy runs a comprehensive travel clinic and can advise you of the recommended vaccines for travellers.

The Coronavirus is a cold virus and despite it being very contagious, Coronavirus or Covid-19 is relatively easy to kill. It survives longer on some surfaces more than others but simple disinfectants or a mild bleach spray can quickly destroy it.  Therefore, the good news is that with some persistent hygiene habits, everyone can take real steps to keep themselves safe and collectively help to contain this disease whilst we wait for a vaccine.

Meningitis is a very serious illness that requires prompt identification and intervention. The difficulty is that early meningitis shares common symptoms with several other illnesses and conditions. However, some telltale indicators can indicate that this is something more than a common cold or flu.

Yellow Fever is a serious disease spread by mosquitoes in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and South and Central America.  If you are travelling to these parts of the world then a vaccine is recommended for yellow fever prevention.

The UK has been free from rabies since the beginning of the 20^th century with the exception of the disease present in a small amount of the wild bat population.  It is, therefore, a relatively rare but nevertheless very serious disease.  If you are thinking of travelling to various parts of the world, there is a distinct risk of rabies in Central and South America, Asia and Africa.

Although chickenpox is a common childhood illness, it is not without risks. Chickenpox is caused by a virus called varicella zoster and is easily passed between children and adults who have not previously been infected. In severe cases, it can cause brain damage, pneumonia and serious skin infections.

Shingles is a viral infection related to chickenpox. If you have had chickenpox, the virus remains dormant within nerve cells in your body, and can then re-activate years later as shingles. At our Northampton branch of Touchwood Pharmacy, we offer a service to promote shingles prevention in the form of shingles immunisation.