With the lifting of the COVID-19 distancing measures, the number of overseas travelers has increased significantly this year.
According to the Korea Culture and Tourism Research Institute’s tourist information system, the number of outbound travelers from Korea from January to March of this year was 4,979,386. In the first quarter, it exceeded 75% of the total number of overseas travelers departing last year (6,554,031).
As the number of overseas travelers soars, it is necessary to be careful about various infectious diseases besides Corona 19. In particular, measles is a disease with a high risk of infection in Southeast Asian countries, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, where there are many domestic travelers.
Measles is an acute febrile rash caused by infection with the measles virus. Fever, rash, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis may occur. Most recover spontaneously, but in rare cases, serious complications in the respiratory and central nervous system may be accompanied.
Above all, it can spread through the air and is very contagious. The basic reproduction number (meaning the average number of people that an infectious patient infects during the infectious transmission period) is the highest among viruses known so far. The measles basic infection reproduction number is 12 to 18, varicella virus is 5 to 7, and in the case of Corona 19 virus (SARS-CoV-2), it varies depending on the mutation, but is currently around 1.
Professor Jeong Eun-joo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Hallym University Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital said, “Measles is prevalent in many countries that Koreans visit when traveling abroad. Awareness is low,” he said. “Measles can be prevented by 97% if vaccinated twice, so it is necessary to check immunity before travel.”
In general, people who have had a natural infection, received two doses of the vaccine, and tested positive for measles-specific antibodies (IgG) can be considered immune to measles.
Adults born after 1967 who do not have immunity to measles and are healthy should receive at least one dose of measles vaccine, and if there is no evidence of measles immunity, if there is no evidence of measles immunity, if there is no evidence of measles immunity, two doses should be given at least 28 days apart recommend to do
Measles vaccination history can be found on the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. However, if you were vaccinated before 2002, there may be no record. In this case, you can check for antibodies through a blood test.
When traveling abroad, there is also a way to get vaccinated at an ‘overseas travel clinic’ one month before departure. At the Overseas Travel Clinic, you can get a prescription for vaccines and preventive medicines after consulting on the destination, length of stay, underlying disease and medical history, and previous vaccinations. Yellow fever vaccine must be administered at least 10 days before departure, and typhoid or hepatitis A vaccine must be administered 2 weeks before departure.
Professor Jeong Eun-joo said, “When traveling abroad, you must strictly follow the precautions against infectious diseases, and if you experience abnormal symptoms such as high fever, chills, or diarrhea within three weeks after travel, you must first report to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and then go to the hospital.”
[ 경기신문 = 정경아 기자 ]
2023-05-14 22:28:52
#International #travel #rise.. #measles #vaccine
