City Doc

When it comes to traveller safety, there are vaccinations you can take at a travel clinic to ensure your well being, but you might want to look out for other reasons why countries may be ‘no go’ areas.

If you take the right steps and measures at a travel clinic before you depart, you should have peace of mind that you’re protected from any major viruses and diseases such as malaria, yellow fever and rabies. But although a travel clinic can advise you on outbreaks in countries across the world that you may have to vaccinate against, there are other reasons why some countries are ‘no go’ areas.

Travel Clinic: Travel Safety

A travel clinic may ensure you’re safe from viruses, but safety abroad isn’t just about protecting yourself from ill-health. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office advises British citizens on travel safety, and you can visit their website to discover ‘no go’ parts of the world. In fact, the ‘don’t go to’ list is quite extensive – the FOC advises against all travel to volatile countries which are gripped by war or unrest. Some countries are obvious, such as Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan, others however are not so obvious. Just as there are diseases you may not consider until your travel clinic points it out, there are countries you should avoid, as the FOC points out, including:

• Albania: the districts in the north east of the country that borders with Kosovo is considered high risk due to unexploded ordnance placed during the 1999 Kosovo crisis; crime is considered serious in Tirana where gun ownership is widespread; international terrorism is considered an underlying threat.
• The Democratic Republic of Congo: The FOC only recommends essential travel due to insecurity, lawlessness and fighting between insurgents and the Congolese army. As well as political instability, a travel clinic would advise you that you won’t be able to enter the country without a yellow fever vaccination certificate. If you are going to the area, a travel clinic should vaccinate you for malaria, rabies, meningitis, cholera and polio which are all common in the region.
• India: There are no-go areas in India, including rural areas in Kashmir and Srinagar. Conflict, terrorism and violence are a continued risk. Landmines and kidnapping are also risks. Many tourists do travel to India – make sure you check which areas are considered safe. Wherever you go in the region, a travel clinic will tell you what vaccinations you need as there are many diseases common to the country.
• Russia: Many tourists visit Russia but the FOC advises against certain regions such as Chechnya and Dagestan because of the terrorism and kidnapping risks. Terrorism attacks have occurred frequently in Moscow. A travel clinic will advise you on other health risks that you can safeguard against such as TB, rabies and encephalitis which are all common to Russia.

Choose CityDoc for all your Travel Clinic needs

At CityDoc, you can book over the phone or walk into one of our travel clinics for a same-day appointment. Don’t travel abroad without ensuring that you’ve had the right vaccinations. CityDoc provides a complete travel clinic service, customized to your individual needs. Our pre-travel consultations are with experienced General Practitioners who will assess the impact of any pre-existing chronic medical conditions on your vaccine requirements. We have the full range of travel vaccines in stock including rarer vaccines such as Japanese Encephalitis. CityDoc is a registered yellow fever centre and is able to dispense anti-malarials directly from our in house pharmacy for your added convenience. Choose from our three travel clinic locations in London and Birmingham for ease of access.