The Travel Medicine & Vaccination Centre provides the following vaccinations and medical services:
Travel Clinic Services
Every client who visits our clinic receives a personalized travel risk assessment consultation with our team of experienced physicians and nurses. Included in the consultation process is:
- Individual risk assessment to determine the traveller’s health risks based on travel itinerary.
- Evaluation of any underlying health problems (e.g. pregnancy, chronic illness, immunodeficiency).
- Location of travel (rural or urban).
- Style of travel (e.g. first class, adventure).
- Anticipated travel activities (e.g. animal contact, fresh water exposure, sexual contact).
- Duration of travel (short or long-term).
- Age (child, adult or elderly).
- Current immunization status.
- Status of infectious diseases and other health risks at destinations during the proposed time of travel.
- Risk-reduction strategies, including recommended vaccines and behaviour modification to maintain health.
- Strategies for the management of illness while travelling.
- Provision of routine, recommended and required vaccines.
- Malaria prophylaxis advice & prescriptions as well as prescriptions for other medications such as traveller’s diarrhea and altitude sickness.
Occupational Health Vaccinations and Services
Services offered to corporate clients include:
- Medical examinations to determine fitness to work.
- Pre-travel and pre-placement examinations for workers travelling abroad.
- Provision of pre-travel counselling services and immunizations at the company’s premises for groups of 10 or more.
- Travel health and disease prevention seminars for groups of 10 or more.
- Customized first aid kits and sourcing of other medical products for individuals and first aid facilities.
- Annual Flu and routine Tetanus vaccination services at the company’s premises.
- Hepatitis A and B vaccination clinics for employees in high risk occupations (such as food handlers and first aid attendants).
- Direct invoicing rather than having employees pre-pay.
- Accommodation of tight schedules wherever possible.
Flu Vaccination Program
The Travel Medicine & Vaccination Centre offers a comprehensive on-site corporate flu vaccination program. Each fall our team of experienced health care professionals visits hundreds of companies to administer flu vaccinations.
We also offer routine tetanus/diphtheria vaccinations for individuals who have not been vaccinated in the past 10 years.
Reduced rates are available for groups of 20 or more employees. Please contact the nearest office for current prices.
Other Products and Services
The clinics offer a wide selection of articles and information sheets on topics related to travel and health as well as specific country and region updates on disease outbreaks and emerging health risks. Information is obtained through a variety of sources including publications and bulletins from Health Canada, the US Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, the US State Department and numerous medical journals.
We also sell a selection of travel health products including:
Shingles Vaccine Zostavax Available
Did you know that if you’ve had chickenpox, you could get shingles.
Shingles is a painful condition, often associated with a blistering rash typically occurring on one side of the body or face. Shingles, also known as Herpes Zoster, can cause excruciating pain. The rash often lasts several weeks. Shingles can result in serious complications such as skin infection, scarring, and long-term nerve pain.
The vaccine used to prevent shingles is called Zostavax. Zostavax is the first and only vaccine indicated to help prevent shingles in individuals 50 years of age or older. The vaccine can also help reduce the intensity and duration of shingles pain.
Zostavax has been on the market and approved in Canada for a couple of years, but due to a production shortage, waitlists have been long. TMVC now has Zostavax available at all our locations.
If you have had chickenpox and are concerned about your risk of shingles, talk to your doctor or healthcare professional about vaccination. At TMVC we carry the vaccine and you can call (604) 681-5656 to set a an appointment at one of
our convenient locations across BC.If you like to find out more about the Shingles vaccine, click here for detailed Consumer Information on Zostavax or the Zostavax Product Monograph.
Travel Vaccines
The clinics offer a complete range of vaccinations which are required or recommended for international travel including:
- Shingles Vaccine (Zostavax™)
- Yellow Fever
- Tetanus/Diphtheria
- Polio
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis A/B (Twinrix™)
- Typhoid (oral or injectable)
- Travellers Diarrhea/Cholera (Dukoral™)
- Meningococcal Meningitis (quadravalent & conjugate C)
- Japanese B Encephalitis
- Tick-borne Encephalitis
- Rabies
- Influenza (Flu)
- Measles/Mumps/Rubella
- Pneumococcal – 7 (Prevnar™)
- Pneumococcal – 23 (Pneumovax™)
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Adacel™ (diphtheria, tetanus & acellular pertussis)
For governmental information regarding travel medicine click here.
All of our offices are officially designated by Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization as Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres. Only officially designated medical facilities are authorized to administer the yellow fever vaccine which is required for travel to many countries in South America and Africa. Every traveller receives an official vaccination certificate.
Pneumococcal Vaccine Prevnar 13 for Adults Now Available
Prevnar 13 is now licensed for adults over 50 and available for purchase at TMVC. Wondering if this vaccine is for you? Here are some commonly asked questions and answers:
What is the PCV 13 vaccine?
The PCV 13 vaccine is a vaccine that protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria which cause invasive pneumococcal disease. The vaccine is approved by Health Canada.
What is pneumococcal infection?
Pneumococcal infection is caused by a germ or bacteria. It can cause serious and life-threatening infections of the lungs (pneumonia), blood (septicemia), and the lining of the brain (meningitis). The infection is spread from person-to- person by coughing, sneezing, or having close face-to-face contact. It can also be spread through activities such as sharing food, drinks, cigarettes, lipsticks, water boottles, mouth guards used for sports, or mouthpieces of musical instruments.
Who should get the vaccine?
Pneumococcal immunization is recommended for all individuals 50 years of age and older. It is also recommended for individuals with certain health concerns and/or medical conditions such as, but not limited to:
- No spleen, or a spleen that is not working properly
- Sickle-cell disease
- Immune systems weakened by disease or medical treatment
- Chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis B or hepatitis C
- Chronic kidney, heart or lung disease
- Solid organ transplants or those waiting for one
- Stem cell transplant
- Diabetes, cystic fibrosis, or a chronic cerebrospinal fluid leak
- An alcohol dependency
- Homeless persons
- Users of illicit drugs
Why should I receive Prevnar 13 when a different pneumococcal vaccine is available through public health free of charge?
The pneumococcal polysaccharide (Pneumo23) vaccine is only available free of charge to individuals 65 years of age and older or for individuals 2 years of age and older with certain high risk health conditions (as listed above). Furthermore, as a conjugate vaccine, PCV 13 has been shown to be significantly more effective (enhanced antibody response & better immune memory) than the publicly funded Pneumo23 vaccine.
Possible Reactions after the Vaccine
Vaccines are very safe. It is much safer to get the vaccine than to get pneumococcal disease.
Common reactions to Prevnar 13 may include soreness, redness and swelling at the injection site. Mild fever and headache may also occur. These reactions are mild and generally last 1 to 2 days.
Who should not get the vaccine?
- If you have had an allergic reaction to a previous dose or to any component of the vaccine, including diphtheria toxoid.
- If you are over 5 years of age and under 50 years of age. PCV13 is licensed for infants and children aged 6 weeks to 5 years (available free through public health as part of child routine immunization schedule) and adults aged 50 years and older. PCV13 is available for purchase for adults aged 50 years and older.
If you still have questions or would like to receive the vaccine, please call 604- 681-5656 in the Lower Mainland of Vancouver or 1-888-288-8682 for the rest of BC to make an appointment.
Please refer to our Price List for details on prices for vaccinations and services.
