Vaccine Information for News Crew
It takes 4-6 weeks – sometimes longer – to complete a course of vaccination against the major vaccine-preventable diseases. For travel to the yellow fever zones of Africa and South America, a yellow fever certificate takes 10 days from receipt of the vaccine to become effective. So we try to identify people whose work involves the possibility of rapid deployment, and prepare them “offline.”
Here are some of the vaccines journalists commonly need:
- Tetanus/Diphtheria/Polio: Tetanus/Diphtheria risk arises from injury (and with diphtheria, close contact with local people). Needs updating every 10 years. Polio is a food/water-borne virus - and is still a risk in parts of Africa & Asia, though eradication programmes are ongoing. Needs updating every 10 years.
- Typhoid: Highest risk is in the Indian subcontinent, but also wherever hygiene is poor and infrastructure breaks down. Food/water-borne virus infection. Needs updating every 3 years.
- Hepatitis A: Can cause serious illness – this is the commonest vaccine preventable disease, apart from flu. Food/water-borne virus infection. 2-dose course protects for at least 25 years.
- Hepatitis B: Serious liver infection. Blood-borne virus infection, transmitted via body fluids and contaminated medical instruments. Risk associated with accidents and injuries involving emergency treatment. Needs updating every 5-10 years.
- Yellow fever: Mosquito-transmitted virus, now becoming more of a problem. Occurs in Africa and South America. Main issue for journalists is Certificate requirement for destinations within YF zones, and for onward travel from the YF zones to other countries. Certificate valid for 10 years, from 10th day after vaccination.
- Rabies: Lethal virus infection transmitted via animal bites, licks and scratches. 3-dose course protects for 3 years. Correct treatment following a bite may be extremely difficult to obtain, especially in remote places or where local infrastructure has broken down.
- Meningitis: Infection transmitted by inhaled droplets, from close personal contact. Major risk is across sub-Saharan Africa, and possibly parts of Asia; also Middle East (Saudi Arabia). Vaccine protects for 5 years.
- Cholera/ETEC: An oral vaccine is available for protection from cholera and the main cause of travellers’ diarrhoea. Vaccine protects for 2 years.
- Japanese encephalitis: A mosquito-borne virus infection occurring in rural Asia. Requires forward planning since the course takes 4 weeks to complete.
Vaccine Strategy:
We consider it vital to give travellers in the news industry a baseline level of protection, tailored to their likely needs. We also think it is important to ensure continuing protection, with an automated reminder system to warn everyone when their vaccine protection is about to need updating. When there is a new assignment, fine-tuning should be all that is required.
