Let’s Get Down to Business Travelling
Thousands of Canadians travel to countries around the world each year for business. Business travellers often face unique health risks, including occupational exposures, increased levels of stress, and disease risks from travel to developing countries.
Risky business
- International business travellers are more likely to be infected with influenza, sexually transmitted infections, and hepatitis B.
- Frequent business travel has been associated with a higher body mass index, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol, and mental stress.
- Business travellers have been found to be less likely to adhere to antimalarial medication due to challenges posed by daily dosing, presumed immunity, busy schedules or forgetfulness, conflicting advice, or fear of side effects.
- The risk of illness to a business traveller increases with greater differences in climate and culture of the destination country compared to the traveller’s origin country.
Business travellers need health advice too!
Even experienced business travellers will benefit from a pre-travel consultation. Health risks at your destination may change due to outbreaks and emerging diseases. Did you know that polio has reemerged in several countries and a booster dose might be required when travelling to polio-affected countries such as Phillipinesor Malaysia? You may need booster doses of other vaccines too.
The pre-travel consultation includes:
- Risk assessment – your health risks will differ depending on your destination, trip purpose, duration of travel, and planned activities.
- Education – you will receive up to date and personalized advice about the health risks at your destination
- Specialized information – some health conditions require specialized travel advice such as immune compromising conditions, severe allergies, or underlying health conditions.
- Immunizations – vaccine recommendations will depend on your age, health status, destination, planned activities, and previous vaccine history.
- Prescriptions – We will arrange necessary travel prescriptions including medications for malaria, prevention of high-altitude illness, or treatment of severe traveller’s diarrhea.
It is essential you are fully productive when travelling for business. The inability to perform the job at hand because of illness can have serious financial implications. We will prepare you to avoid illness so you can stay healthy and focus on the purpose of your trip.
Flexible consultations to suit your needs
It can be difficult to make the time for a pre-travel consultation. TravelSafe Clinic offers several options for pre-travel consultations to suit your busy schedule:
Telephone: A phone consultation from any location on the go. A vaccine appointment can be arranged at our clinic or a registered nurse can visit your location.
Face to face: A one-stop shop to receive an in-person consultation and vaccinations all in one visit.
On-site: If several employees are travelling on the same trip, a group consultation and vaccinations can be arranged at your location.
Mobile concierge: Individual consultation and vaccine administration in your office or preferred location.
A convenient COVID-19test
International destinations and airlines generally require proof of a negative COVID-19 test issued within 72 hours prior to departure from Canada. TravelSafe Clinic offers the PCR-based NAAT (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) also known as the RT-PCR (Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase chain reaction) test. It is considered the “gold standard” of tests and satisfies country and airlines requirements for a negative PCR COVID-19 test. Samples are collected from clients and are tested in an accredited laboratory in the Lower Mainland.
The lab result and health care certificate, signed by a health care professional, will be emailed to you as soon as the result is available.
Express PCR testing: TravelSafe offers same day PCR test results for last minute departures Monday to Friday.
Mobile Concierge Service: This VIP service is a convenient and safe way for the busy traveller to complete COVID-19 testing. A registered nurse will come to your location and collect samples from asymptomatic individuals and small groups.
Useful resources:
Health Gateway: a secure way for British Colombians to access a single view your health information on your mobile device including:
- COVID-19 test results
- COVID-19 immunization records
- Immunization records from Public Health and community pharmacies
- Prescriptions
- Health Care Visits
Registration is simple and takes 5 minutes. A one-time security check verifies your identity to keep your data secure and can be done by video on your mobile device. To register, visit the Health Gateway website: https://www.healthgateway.gov.bc.ca/
If you received a COVID-19 vaccine outside of Canada visit the BC Government’s website to register your immunization records. Your records will be entered into the Provincial Immunization Registry (this takes about 7 days), and then can be accessesed through Health Gateway.
https://www.immunizationrecord.gov.bc.ca/
ArriveCAN: this is a mandatory app to provide travel information on your trip and after your
entry into Canada.ArriveCAN will be used to:
- Provide contact and quarantine information
- UploadCOVID-19 test results
- Upload COVID-19 vaccination records for exemption from quarantine measures (2 doses completed at least 14 days before returning to Canada, including vaccines obtained outside of Canada)
- Check in daily with the app during your quarantine period
Efficient and convenient care
Efficient, convenient, and quality care is important to us at TravelSafe Clinic. For more information about pre-travel consultations, vaccinations, COVID-19 testing, or any of our mobile services simply call us at 604-251-1975 or email mobilevip@travelsafeclinic.ca.
