Prince George, B.C.- If you have travel plans to a country and you need to get a special vaccination before taking that trip, best plan for that shot now.

Northern Health is eliminating  its travel health immunization services across the region.

 

Earlier this year, it reduced its travel health immunization sites from  27 down to 14. Effective December 1^st, Northern Health will no longer provide travel and non-publicly funded vaccines at any of its sites.

 

The money that used to be spent on travel health services will be channelled back into family health immunization programs that include vaccine services for flu, infant and school age immunization..

 

 “We are aligning our public health services with other health authorities In BC,” notes Kathy MacDonald, Regional Director of Preventive Public Health. “We want to ensure we focus on our core services throughout the region as well as being able to respond to H1N1.”

 

Although the discontinuation of the travel health immunization service comes in December, after the H1N1 flu shots will be distributed, it is expected H1N1 will create some extra pressure for public health services.

 

Travel health services are not covered under the Canada Health Act and have never been publicly funded. Low demand for the service in many smaller communities also made it challenging for public health nurses to meet or maintain the practice standards set out by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

 

People needing special immunizations for travel will find the service available through private providers in some communities, and through some physicians’ offices.

 

Some prices for vaccinations in the private sector indicate it will cost about $15 dollars for a tetanus shot, $115 for the two shots to protect a person from traveller’s diarrhea/cholera,   $85 for a shot to protect you from yellow fever, and $330 dollars for the three shots needed to cover a traveller from Japanese Encephalitis.

 

Travel Medicine & Vaccination Centre (TMVC) private travel clinics will be offering services in Prince George and Prince Rupert by December 2009, with more clinics available in other communities in early 2010.

 

Other options for travelers include:

• Checking  with your GP

• Wellness Centre in Fort St. John - 1-250-785-3234

• Travel Medicine and Vaccination Centre (TMVC) provides clinics in the Interior and in Prince George  and Prince Rupert (December, 2009) - 1-888-288-8682

• Vancouver International Airport Travel Clinic - 1-604-207-6900

• Vancouver Travel Clinic - 1-604-736-9244

• Grande Prairie, Alberta - 1-780- 513-7500