Is going to a travel clinic before your trip worth it?
Visiting a qualified physician certified in travel health can ensure you have the medicine and vaccines you need to avoid contracting illnesses in a foreign country or getting altitude sickness.
I admit I may have a few hypochondriac tendencies. I’m a regular reader of WebMD. I diagnose myself with illnesses (sometimes that don’t even exist). I’ll catastrophize a flu. Flesh-eating disease is a real fear of mine. So this February, when I arrived at the travel clinic ahead of my year in South America, I was exactly the kind of person who may accidentally go overboard with the vaccines and exotic medicines. Five months into my time abroad, I admit that not all items purchased during my doctor’s office shopping spree were necessary.
About the author
Sinead Mulhern is a Canadian journalist who writes about health, fitness, travel and personal finance. A former Torontonian, she is now based in Medellin, Colombia where she freelances for Canadian publications while travelling.