Travel & Study Abroad Services
Providing Appalachian State University Students with appropriate travel information as well as personalized vaccination and medication recommendations (including costs) in preparation for international travel.
Travel Service Nurses
Student Health Services nurses with training in International Travel.
General Information
Guidance for Travel advice is provided by Travax® which is our primary resource based on WHO (World Health Organization), CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention), and US State Department guidance as well as the Australia and Canadian equivalents. Travax® is a detailed educational and regularly updated educational resource that provides the latest recommendations regarding general travel and possible exposure for illness prevention and enhanced personal well-being and safety.
Ideally, an appointment should be made a minimum of six weeks prior to your trip for maximum health protection regarding the necessary vaccines and medication.
The Travel Service Nurses can provide guidance even for last-minute travel.
For Travel Service Appointments
For a VISA letter, request an appointment with an MD.
For a Travel Health Consultation appointment:
1) Complete the Travel Consultation Questionnaire, located in MedPortal, in Forms.
2) Complete the Travel Health 101 module in ASULearn.
3) Call 828-262-6318 to book a travel consultation appointment.
4) Bring questions and concerns to the 1:1 appointment.
Vaccinations and Medications
Except for specific country Requirements, vaccinations and medications are recommendations, subject to individual choice, and can be completed fully, partially, or not at all in the initial travel appointment or in a later appointment(s). The nurse will discuss associated costs, risks, and benefits during the appointment.
The following vaccinations and medications can be recommended in the Travel Service appointment. If there are recommendations not available at Student Health Services, we will explain options for locating them.
Vaccinations - by individualized recommendation
Hepatitis A: 2 doses at 0 and 6 months
Hepatitis B: Engerix: 3 shots at 0, 1 month, 6 months
Heplisav: 2 shots at 0 and 1 month
HPV: (adult) 3 shots at 0, 1 month, 6 months
Meningitis ACWY
MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)
Polio, Adult Booster: (only available at SHS in limited situations)
Tetanus: Td (Tetanus Diphtheria)
Tdap (Tetanus Diphtheria & Pertussis)
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
Japanese Encephalitis: 2 shots at 0 and 28 days; must be pre-paid for pharmacy to order
Rabies (pre-exposure): 2 doses at 0 and 7 days (not offered at SHS)
Typhoid: Vivotif (live, oral) -refrigerate, every other day dose
Typhoid Vi (injectable)
Yellow Fever: must be pre-ordered
Influenza (flu): available at SHS seasonally
COVID: if available
TB Skin Test (TST): May be required prior to travel in some cases; routinely recommended 3 months after return from International Travel.
Medications - prescription by individualized recommendation
Altitude Sickness Medication
- Diamox (Acetazolamide)
Anti-Malarial - by prescription
- Aralen (Chloroquine)
- Plaquenil (Hydroxychloroquine)
- Malarone (Atovaquone / Proguanil)
- Vibramycin (Doxycycline)
Antifungal - by prescription
- Diflucan (fluconazole)
Traveler's Diarrhea - OTC and by prescription
- Pepto-Bismol (Bismuth) - OTC - preventative
- Imodium (Lomotil) - OTC
- Cipro (Ciprofloxacin)
- Zithromax (Azithromycin)
- Oral Rehydration Solution packets
For more information, call M.S. Shook Student Health Services Travel Office at (828) 262-6318 OR send a secure message to RN Travel Clinic.
