The Government of Canada has just issued a number of serious travel advisories for Canadians heading to the U.K. and Germany. If you have travel plans coming up this spring, then you might want to make sure that you’re up-to-date on what’s going on in your destination.
Although travel advisories won’t outright bar you from going on vacation, it is recommended that you follow the advice given by Canada’s Travel Advice and Advisories website page.
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Canada Travel Advisories
Travel advisories are split into four different categories. At the bottom, you have “take normal security precautions.” Things begin to heighten as you go up. This leads to exercising a high degree of caution, avoiding non-essential travel, and then avoiding all travel.
Travellers are always recommended to practice standard caution while in a different country.
U.K. and Germany
As for the U.K. and Germany, they are under a yellow “exercise a high degree of caution” warning. The most recent editorial changes to their respective webpages have to do with health. Currently, both locations are currently experiencing increased risks of polio. This is specifically a “circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus 2 (cVDPV2),” which is present in the U.K. and Germany.
According to the government, polio (poliomyelitis) is an infectious disease that is spread from person to person, as well as through contaminated food and water. Infections with the polio virus can cause paralysis and death in anyone who is not immune.
Travellers are recommended to have their polio vaccinations up-to-date before leaving Canada. Adults are also recommended to have one booster dose of the polio vaccine. Your vaccination documentation on the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis is similarly important to have on your person. These can be gained at designated yellow fever vaccination centres.
Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) notes that “travellers who are visiting for longer than 4 weeks may be required to receive a dose of polio vaccine 1 to 12 months before they leave this destination.”
For more information, you can visit the U.K. or Germany travel advisory page.
