Lincoln County Public Health (LCPH) realizes the important need to ensure that local and international travelers, adults and children, are up-to-date on important and required travel vaccinations. Because of that growing need, LCPH has expanded its vaccination services to include travel vaccines and health travel education.

Diseases plague the world and outbreaks can happen in even developed countries. Italy, for example, is fighting a major measles outbreak and mosquito born diseases are very severe and not to be taken lightly. LCPH wants to ensure that anyone traveling abroad is well protected and to help ensure they do not bring diseases back with them.

Depending on your destination and length of stay, LCPH can determine which vaccinations may be most appropriate for you including some specialty vaccinations like typhoid, hepatitis, Japanese encephalitis and meningitis.

The cost of some select travel vaccinations can be submitted to health insurance companies for coverage or if uninsured, adults and children may be eligible for free vaccination. For other specialty vaccines, cost of vaccinations vary and are required at the time of service.

Travelers in need of vaccinations should schedule appointments at least 60 days, but ideally 8 to 10 weeks, in advance of departure.

It takes around two weeks for immunity from vaccination to be sufficient to protect an individual from disease. It is important that travelers do not leave vaccination until the last minute, because many vaccines require several booster doses to provide effective protection from disease.

For more information, or to make an appointment, call 406-283-2447.

Riley Black is public health nurse for Lincoln County.