Medical in Vancouver...Vaccinations

[defunct 0]

So I received an email today from Woking Medical Clinic with instructions for the things I need to do before I can book my medical examination appointment. As part of the vaccination portion, I need to get a specific booster for TB - Tdap and an MMR. I called around and was directed to Travel Medicine & Vaccination Centre. I called them and the guy who answered told me that Woking's document is incorrect that I needed to go to my medical examination first, then Woking would direct me to them with the necessary immunizations...

Since I'm getting conflicting info, I emailed Woking to see what I should do. I'm wondering if anyone else has gone through this and what happened?

[SapphireDreams 71]

I don't know if its Vancouver specific, but that makes no sense imo. Do you have a family Dr. that can go over your vaccines and help you figure out what you need and get them there? If you've already had the vaccines, but don't have the documentation, all you need is a titres blood test showing that you have the antibodies. I know in Ontario we get most of the vaccines when we are children/babies so its not necessary to get them again.

Basically it boils down to having the vaccines - if you get them before the medical it would just be much quicker and easier for them to process the results. If you go to the medical and then have your vaccines incomplete, you would just go get them and then send the documentation to the medical people and they would complete your medical package.

It sounds like the person you spoke to at the travel/vaccine place is probably telling you what he normally experiences - I bet a lot of the time people don't realize or aren't proactive so they just end up going to the clinic reactively, so that is what they see most often.

I got all my vaccines completed beforehand to avoid slowing anything down.

Again it could vary in Vancouver, as I'm going through Montreal.. but this just sounds off either way...

Not sure if that helped... good luck!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Your family doctor may also be able to give you any of the vaccinations you currently lack and that would most probably be covered under your provincial health plan. You will have to pay for the medical at any rate so you might as well get done as much as you can for free while you can because it sure isn't going to happen in the US.

Edited January 28, 2009 by Kathryn41

[defunct 0]

Thanks for the responses.

I can get the MMR at a regular clinic and it is covered by medical. I'm pretty sure I had this already in elementary school, but I don't mind getting it again. It'd probably be easier than having a blood test done.

The vaccination I was having issue with was the TB booster. The clinic doesn't have any doses as it's not a normal booster in Canada. Either way, I have to get it done... I just wasn't sure if the guy at the Travel Vaccination Clinic had any idea of what he was talking about. I don't see why they wouldn't just give someone a vaccination if they requested it anyway... I would have to pay for it out of my own pocket, so they'd be making money off of me.

[Danu 19]

Thanks for the responses.

I can get the MMR at a regular clinic and it is covered by medical. I'm pretty sure I had this already in elementary school, but I don't mind getting it again. It'd probably be easier than having a blood test done.

The vaccination I was having issue with was the TB booster. The clinic doesn't have any doses as it's not a normal booster in Canada. Either way, I have to get it done... I just wasn't sure if the guy at the Travel Vaccination Clinic had any idea of what he was talking about. I don't see why they wouldn't just give someone a vaccination if they requested it anyway... I would have to pay for it out of my own pocket, so they'd be making money off of me.

Correct me if I'm wrong but isnt the t-dap the 10 year booster? If it is the one I'm thinking of (tetnus, Diptheria), I got it done at my doctors office, due for it again in 2010. I dont think you need a booster for TB, I thought they just did an xray for TB, there was no mention of needing be vaccinated (which I just saw on my little formy thing that I was) on the dr.'s sites...Not sure if its different out in Vancouver though,

[chris11xb 0]

I agree. To me it sounds like the TB booster you've mentioned is actually the Td booster (tetnus), which should be provincially covered.

I just know months ago I kept on saying TB when I meant Td, so it's possible I'm not the only one.

[Marilyn. 340]

Thanks for the responses.

I can get the MMR at a regular clinic and it is covered by medical. I'm pretty sure I had this already in elementary school, but I don't mind getting it again. It'd probably be easier than having a blood test done.

The vaccination I was having issue with was the TB booster. The clinic doesn't have any doses as it's not a normal booster in Canada. Either way, I have to get it done... I just wasn't sure if the guy at the Travel Vaccination Clinic had any idea of what he was talking about. I don't see why they wouldn't just give someone a vaccination if they requested it anyway... I would have to pay for it out of my own pocket, so they'd be making money off of me.

actually the blood test is quite simple.. they just take a sample of your blood and about a week later you have the results...

[Krikit 1,164]

Do you have a regular GP that you go to? I just went to mine with a list of the required vaccinations and he made sure they were all current, then wrote my vaccination history on his prescription pad.... I took it to the medical, and all was well. Mind you, he was familiar with the British vaccination system so that helped. (I'd had all my vaccinations before I left England.) Anyway, I agree with the others. This does sound a bit strange.

Welcome to VJ.

[SapphireDreams 71]

Good point guys, is there even a TB booster? I think TB is either an Xray or a skin test... the Td booster is easy enough like you said to just go get at your GP.

[TheATeam 0]

I tried to get the Tdap booster at my doctor's office before I knew that my levels were high enough. She said that they didn't carry it there and would take at least a week to get it.

I agree, the blood titre test would probably be easier and faster if you think you've had a tetanus shot within the last ten years.

I went had my medical in Vancouver and if you don't have a record of your vaccinations or have a certificate from the doctor that you've just had them then your medical won't be complete and they'll wait until you bring that back into them. When I was there they sent people to the Travel clinic several times to get their vaccinations done. My advice is that the guy didn't know what he was talking about and that if you want to get the tetanus shot you should be able to!