Getting Ready -- Medical

Okay, not excited about this subject matter at all.  Because I either will be or will be in contact with people from many, many countries the list of vaccinations and immunizations is quite extensive.  To further add to the list, it appears that even standard inoculations such as MMR & tetanus requires booster shots before I make my final departure. 

Here's whats on the list that I've got to have:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Typhoid
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Influenza
• Tetanus
• Diphtheria
• Pertussis
• MMR if no history of disease or 2 adequate doses of live vaccine at anytime during your life
• TB Skin test pre-departure and post-return
• No Malaria risk in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia-Use insect repellent.

Also from the medical departments email...."Many other infectious disease are present in Malaysia for which no vaccine is available.  Dengue Fever is a significant risk in both urban and rural areas of both countries.  It is transmitted by a daytime biting mosquito.  Day and Nighttime Insect precautions should be taken with insect repellent with DEET.

Traveler's Diarrhea is at high risk even in deluxe accommodations within these countries.    Food Safety is imperative.  I recommend that you drink only bottled water and include brushing your teeth with bottled water.  Avoid fountain drinks and drinks with ice.  Avoid fresh fruits and vegetables.  Eat only fully cooked fruits and vegetables.  Choose fruits for which you can peel away the skins like  bananas.  Eat only fully cooked (well done) meats, eggs, chicken, poultry, pork and fish.  If diarrhea
develops, please use the anti-diarrheal medication in your travel kit called Diamode for the first 24 hours.  If you would like to have an antibiotic recommended for traveler's diarrhea, I can authorize it.

Rabies is present in all of these countries.    Many of these countries do not vaccinate their domestic animals.  Although I do not recommend the pre-exposure rabies vaccine, I would recommend that you avoid contact with all animals on this itinerary.  If you are bitten or scratched, you need to seek immediate post-rabies treatment.

Avoid wooded areas, forests, farms, and rural areas as much as possible.  Different types of Malaria exist in the region and are transmitted by night biting mosquitoes.  Malaria medicines are dependent upon the region and have to be actively taken to be effective.  Due to the uncertainty of your travel (cities/regions/countries) and the length of your assignment, it is not practical to prepare for medications prior to your departure.  Should you go to any of these areas, please see local company medical assistance and medication.

I will FedEx you a complete travel package tomorrow to include the travel kit and a folder with specific health risks for your itinerary.  The folder will contain a customized traveler's report for specific health risks on your itinerary.  The medical kit is yours to keep and will be back charged to the cost center that you provided.    I recommend you keep your immunization records with your passport for travel.  The travel package will also include an SOS card which will provide you with resources for emergency medical evacuation.  There is also a restocking form in the kit.  If you need replacement items for your kit, please fax the restocking form to me.  Do not send the kit back to me.  If you have any questions regarding any information in the travel package, please do not hesitate to call me.

Please consider a security briefing from <<removed>>, Mgr International Corporate Security.

The health information provided represents standard advice and recommendations regarding preventive precautions and immunizations for your travel itinerary.  For further individually specific information, advice from a travel medicine clinic may be sought."

In additional to this information, work provided a physical & blood work to make sure everything is good with my health before I get leave the USA.  [And it is!!]  They also gave me general prescription medication to have onhand in case I needed them.  I feel good that we got all this started, and that they've put a lot of thought into my well-being while on assignment.  I had no idea about all this when I signed up!!