If you’re thinking about taking an international trip, you might want to consult the “Yellow Book.” It’s not a guide to the coolest places to visit or a doorway to travel discounts, but it’s good for your health.

‘Yellow Book’ provides answers

Every two years the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) produces CDC Health Information for Travel, which is more commonly known as the “Yellow Book.” The new Yellow Book 2018 is now available and is useful for answering questions you might have ahead of your international trip.

Although the book is written primarily for health care providers (doctors, nurses, pharmacists) who help travelers prepare for trips, it is also a great source of information for travelers; in addition, it’s used by people in the travel industry, international corporations, missionary and volunteer organizations and others.

Focus is on international travel health risks

The book offers an in-depth look at travel health risks and ways to prevent them, advice for people with special travel health needs, updated vaccine requirements and recommendations, guidance for travelers with special needs, and more. It also offers health insights about popular tourist destinations and itineraries and includes easy-to-read maps, including global disease maps. You can also get the latest information about emerging infectious disease threats such as Zika, Ebola, and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome).

You can access the book free online. It is also available for purchase through Oxford University Press, other major online booksellers and most major bookstores.

Visit the CDC’s website for more information about the Yellow Book.