VACCINATION IS NEEDED OF N.Z. AIR TRAVELLERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 7, 8 March 1950, Page 8

VACCINATION IS NEEDED OF N.Z. AIR TRAVELLERS

Up in the air things move quickly. Every time an aeroplane travels from one country to another there is a chance of insects and even bacteria of various sorts travelling too. As far as the bacteria are concerned, if carried in the body of a passenger they are likely to be landed in the country of destination before the person- concerned knows that he has a disease. Vaccination Necessary On the international scale the problem has been largely solved by the Sanitary Convention for Civil Aviation, to which New Zealand and a number of other countries are parties. Under this, certain diseases—smallpox, plague, cholera, typhus and yellow fever—are considered safely in the background if certificates of vaccination and inoculation accordingly have been issued. These are obtainable in the signatory counti’ies before outgoing passengers can depart and possession of the certificates cancels the possibility of quarantine. ’■ In matters like this, there is always a chance of fraudulent certificates being sought, so most countries require the certificates to be signed or countersigned and officially stamped by a properly authorised public health officer. In New Zealand certain medical practitioners throughout the country have been appointed as public vaccinators. They are authorised to sign the certificates, gfoing air travellers a clearance wherever they go 'Owing to the absence of plagueinfested rats, the non-existence of the yellow-fever mosquito, and the relatively good standards of hygiene and sanitation, the only one of the five diseases named that involves a possible risk in New Zealand is smallpox. Could Cause Outbreak New arrivals by air or sea are required to have been recently vaccinated against smallpox^—even one or two undiscovered cases could cause a serious outbreak. Those coming from Australia and the Pacific Islands are not required to have this recent vaccination, because it is known that those, places are free of the infection. However if anyone is going from New Zealand, particularly by air, it is wise to check with the Hfealth Department or travel agency about what is needed—and do it well ahead of departure d&te.