Keep Your Family Healthy This Summer
Travel Tips and More!
by Dr. Nasimeh Yazdani
The recent scare of measles resurgence right in our own Southern California theme park triggered a flurry of calls from worried patients wanting to be tested for immunity against this dreadful virus. CDC detectives for months raced to contain the highly contagious disease, which surfaced at Disneyland in December and spread to a half-dozen U.S. states, Mexico and Canada. The outbreak sickened 147 people in the U.S., including 131 in California. There were no deaths. Many who fell ill were not immunized against measles.
If you aren’t a pregnant woman, healthcare worker, school personnel, or recently infected or immunized, your chances of immunity to either of the three components of the vaccine MMR is really uncertain. It’s a simple blood test that reads your immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella. If you had the vaccine series consisting of three vaccinations given in early childhood, there is a possibility that you still retained your immunity. The fact that millions of Americans walk around without these potentially life-threatening diseases, is attestation that vaccinations do work and many of us are protected. The ones who catch the virus from tourists from different parts of the country and world such that happened in Disneyland are from the crowds that haven’t been as compliant with vaccination schedules. Shockingly enough, Westside children hold a 15% vaccination exempt rate, equivalent to Sudan’s.
Set aside your worries, it’s not too late to vaccinate yourself and your children against measles, mumps, and rubella. Now that travel season is right around the corner, think twice about leaving without making sure you are immune. Immunity can begin as early as 2 weeks and typically one is enough for adults. Check out CDC’s MMR vaccination information sheet for further details.
We offer vaccines as well as healthy travel planning here at Seaside. Alternatively, we refer to our partner travel clinics, where excellent sources of information are readily accessible. We highly recommend you start here over the conglomerate pharmacies that are popping up like mushrooms offering vaccines.
On a lighter note, here are some must-do travel tips and precautions to take to help keep your family healthy this Summer, from my house to yours.
Travel Medicine Bag Must Haves
Dr. Yazdani’s Recommendations
- Melatonin 1-5mg tablets
- Immune Essentials [ Immunoglobulin Formula]
- Viracead [a virus beating herbal blend]Antacid [Tums, Pepcid or Zantac]
- Pain Reliever [Tylenol or Ibuprofen]
- Benadryl
- Prescription Medications
- Anti-Nausea [Ondansetron]
- Antibiotic [for traveler’s diarrhea or UTI]
- Hydrocortisone Cream
- Monstat [if you’re prone to yeast infections]
Click here to view all the internal medicine services available at Seaside Medical!
*If you have children and are traveling long distances, take them to their healthcare provider for a complete breakdown of their specific needs.
Seaside is going all paperless as of this Summer!
Find out more information at
www.seasidemedicalpractice.com