With the world in fear of the H1N1 flu pandemic, it is sometimes easy to forget that there are several dangerous and even more common diseases that you can get both at home or while traveling. When I planned to go to Morocco last year, I realized that I did not have my Hepatitis A and B vaccinations up to date; in fact, according to my immunization record, I had never had this vaccination. I panicked a bit, because Morocco is somewhat exotic, but also by the time we thought about it, we had already booked our trip and we were leaving in four weeks. I went to my doctor to discuss my options, because I was concerned with Hepatitis after seeing and hearing about people who had caught it while traveling in Mexico and others who had even caught it at home. I knew that Hep B potentially fatal disease can be caught by many methods, such as piercings, tattoos, manicures, medical and dental procedures and coming into contact with bodily fluids. Hep A is common in many areas of the
world, and many North Americans have no immunity toward it. Both are commonly caught while traveling, but can even be caught at home.

My doctor was very happy that I wanted to get a vaccine, and fortunately, he told me that there is a relatively new vaccine called Twinrix, which combines both Hep A and B, whereas in the past, this was two separate vaccinations. He also said that, fortunately for me, I was not too late to get one of these vaccines, because there was a rapid schedule available for people who were traveling within the next 6 months. He told me that there were few side-effects, if any, and this vaccination protects for 15-20 years, with no need for a booster. It all sounded good to me. As far as the cost, it was $75 for all three doses, but it can be covered under some medical plans. It was more than worth it for me for peace of mind while traveling, because I do a lot of foreign travel. I had no side-effects whatsoever for any of my four doses, and I can now travel with confidence that I am protected from Hepatitis A and B.

Here is some useful information:

Twinrix offers protection for 15-20 years.

There are two dosing schedules available:

Normal: (Three doses): one on first visit, the next one a month later, and the final dose 6 months later;

Rapid Schedule: (3-4 Doses): one on the first visit, the next one 7 days later, and the next one 21 days later; another booster is recommended 12 months later.

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