Yes, this is a good time to vaccinate and vaccine is readily available. We are of course talking about vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE).
TBE is an infection transmitted by ticks. There is currently no treatment or cure for TBE and the consequences of the disease are potentially severe. The disease is luckily rare but unfortunately on the rise. The good news is that the vaccine against TBE is efficient.
Spring is arriving to large parts of our orienteering terrains in March and April. Most of us are satisfied with being able get out in the forests again, whether on foot or on bike. The ticks are equally happy and are also enjoying the season, which for them means feasting on animals and humans. Therefore, have a healthy habit of looking carefully for ticks and if found on your body, remove them directly. Use covering clothes and repellents.
A further recommended precaution to take is to vaccinate. The regulations differ between countries meaning that availability of vaccinators and costs vary. But for most countries, it is a good idea to vaccinate in the upcoming weeks. Not only because the season is about to start but also because the vaccination resources are available. Once Covid-19 vaccinations to the wider public takes off, resources will be scarce.
More information on TBE, including TBE spread maps, is available here.
IOF is since 2018 collaborating with Pfizer to spread information about TBE to the orienteering society.