Everyone loves to travel, but sometimes life events can get in the way. Work, school, and social commitments can make taking a vacation challenging. Family can also make travel challenging, especially for people who are just starting one. Many people believe that traveling is impossible while pregnant, but, by following a few simple tips (and talking with a physician, of course!) it can be just as fun while pregnant as it would be at any other time.

Traveling while pregnant is generally safe unless otherwise indicated by a physician. Before planning a trip during pregnancy, however, talk with your primary care doctors about what you will be doing and whether it is advisable to do so. A doctor may recommend changing travel plans slightly depending on your specific situation.

The second trimester of pregnancy is considered the best time for travel as morning sickness has generally ended and other related early risk factors are reduced. Some airlines do have rules regarding pregnant travel, and these are typically related to having medical approval before traveling during the ninth month.

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The current measles outbreak has shed renewed light on the need for vaccination and the danger that diseases pose to the unvaccinated. To understand just how rapidly measles can impact the unvaccinated, here is a timeline of events of the current outbreak, from ‘patient zero’ visiting a California theme park to the most recent updates from the CDC.

For more information about measles and the importance of the measles vaccination, see Passport Health’s newly updated web page on the disease.

Are there any other timelines you would like to see? Let us know in the comments below or on the Passport Health Facebook page!

Measles is a potentially deadly disease that spreads rapidly in an unvaccinated population. Especially due to the media attention the disease has garnered recently and the fact that we are still in flu season, you may be wondering whether an illness is influenza, measles, or maybe something else. Although you should always receive a diagnosis from a healthcare professional, the infographic posted below is a quick guide to some of the key differences between measles and influenza.

Remember that both influenza and measles are preventable through vaccination. Both vaccines have been deemed safe by the Centers for Disease Control and are very effective at stopping the spread of the viruses and lessening their effects should you still get infected.

For more information about influenza, see the Passport Health influenza portal, and, for information on measles, see our measles page.

Any further questions? Comment below, look us up on Facebook, tweet us, or email us, and we’ll see what we can do to help or even help you arrange an appointment with a Passport Health specialist!

Touring Africa may have just become a little easier thanks to a regulation change in South Africa. As of January 31, 2015, people traveling to South Africa from a ‘low-risk yellow fever country’ will no longer require proof of having received a vaccination for the mosquito-borne disease to enter the country.

The decision, based on World Health Organization recommendations, went into effect as soon as it was announced and will affect thousands of travelers every year.

Previous to this decision, if you were traveling to South Africa and had been within a country that has endemic yellow fever for as few as 12 hours, you would have been required to provide a valid yellow fever certificate upon arrival, and this certificate is only obtainable after receiving the yellow fever vaccine.

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Measles is, without a doubt, a fairly scary virus. In 2014, there were just under 200,000 measles cases confirmed by the World Health Organization across the world. That number is about 92 percent less than where it was in 1980, when 2.6 million cases were reported. This decline is attributed to one thing: measles vaccination.

The WHO, Centers for Disease Control, and medical organizations all around the world plead with parents asking them to get their children vaccinated to avoid measles and other deadly diseases. However, despite numerous studies showing that vaccines are safe, some individuals claim that vaccination is unsafe and can cause serious side effects. These voices are generally loud, and involve many Hollywood stars who receive significant international attention despite espousing often ill-informed beliefs.

But, there are some famous and well known individuals who have touching and important stories about the safety and importance of vaccines, beliefs backed by literally hundreds of studies proving that vaccines not only work, but have few to no harmful side effects and will save lives.

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