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Typhoid, dengue fever, measles.

These aren’t diseases most of us worry about—until we start planning that trip abroad to countries where these diseases are problematic. Helping you learn what vaccines or medications you need to protect yourself, and having them conveniently administered, is the mission of TravelRx (progressivetravelrx.com), a new Tacoma-based company.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more tourists are at risk for travel-related illnesses, thanks to an increase in journeys to destinations in Asia and Africa, the two continents where most travel-related maladies originate. But many international travelers never get recommended immunizations before stepping on a plane.

 

That’s where TravelRx steps in. After clients fill out an online intake form and pay a small fee, the company brings vaccines and medications to their home or office, eliminating the need for visits to clinics and pharmacies for those meds. A minimum of five travelers is required for on-site visits by TravelRx—a requisite that makes the service attractive to companies with frequent business travelers, students traveling together for study abroad or families.

Founder and CEO Vidya Nair, Pharm.D., recommends scheduling the service from six to eight weeks before your trip to ensure the vaccines have time to take effect. Without the constraints of traditional medical office scheduling, says Nair, “the atmosphere is much more relaxed, and we have more time to answer specific questions that each traveler may have.” Bon voyage.