Research has shown that 85 per cent of Irish people travelling to at-risk countries take serious health risks by not receiving vaccinations to protect themselves against infectious diseases.
The president of the Irish Society of Travel Medicine, Dr Nancy Gallagher, warned yesterday that people in Ireland were still not taking travel vaccinations seriously. "People need to realise that a number of highly infectious diseases, such as typhoid, hepatitis A and polio, can be easily contracted through contaminated food and water. These diseases can result in serious illnesses," she said.
The warning came at the publication of a travel health booklet for consumers in Dublin. The Passport to Health booklet was developed by SmithKline Beecham in association with the Irish Society of Travel Medicine. Vaccinations are recommended when travelling to popular holiday destinations such as Turkey, Tunisia, Mexico, Thailand, Cuba, Egypt, the Seychelles and Fiji.