Immunizations for Travelers

The Department of Health in Escambia County (DOH-Escambia) offers a comprehensive Traveler’s Health consultation that provides advice on immunizations to prevent serious illnesses, prescription medicine to prevent malaria, prevention of insect bites, and food and water safety while traveling.

Dr. Wesley Farr is an Infectious Diseases specialist with 45 years of experience in travel medicine. He is certified in Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine and Traveler’s Health. He was Director of the Clinical Tropical Medicine and Traveler’s Health course at West Virginia University from 1996-2000 and was also Director of the Military Tropical Medicine Course in Bethesda from 2004-2006.

Dr. Farr has traveled to multiple countries in Latin America, Africa, and Asia and enjoys learning about our clients’ travel plans, sharing his experiences with them, and advising them on ways to stay healthy while traveling.

Foreign Travel Clinic Facts

• Your consultation with Dr. Farr should be scheduled at least 4-6 weeks in advance of departure.
• The consultation fee is $100 per person. The fee is charged one time each episode of foreign travel and includes up to 5 prescriptions related to your travel, if needed.
• There is an additional cost for each vaccine.
• Travel vaccines are not considered medically necessary and thus are not covered by most insurance, including Medicare.
• This appointment will consist of a travel consultation and possible immunizations. The physician will carefully review each traveler’s vaccination needs and make recommendations based on your travel plans.
• Minors must have a parent present at the appointment.
• Visits typically range from 30 minutes to two hours. A typical visit is thirty minutes to an hour with the provider and then an additional 15 to 30 minutes with the nurse.

Schedule a Foreign Travel Clinic Appointment

Contact our Customer Service Representatives at 850-595-6554 to speak with a nurse about scheduling an appointment for the Foreign Travel Clinic. Customer service representatives are available to assist clients 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. 

Bring the following items or information to your appointment:

• Bring your passport for your visit. You must have it to receive a Yellow Fever immunization.
• Bring a copy of your driver’s license.
• Travelers over the age of 60 must present a doctor’s note or prescription stating that the client is “immune competent to receive the Yellow Fever immunization”.
• Bring a detailed copy of your itinerary so the doctor can make a thorough assessment of the health risks. 
• Bring prior immunization records with you (even if you have been seen at DOH-Escambia) to this appointment, including prior travel-related vaccination records (yellow card) as well as pediatric immunization records for any children who are being seen.
• Arrive early enough to complete the Travel Clinic Questionnaire. If not completed by appointment time the client may be required to reschedule.

Available Travel-related Vaccines

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Meningococcal
• Polio
• Typhoid
• Yellow Fever

Resources

The Florida Department of Health in Escambia County is a designated travel center. Travel information is based on the CDC Travelers Health recommendations.