Whether you are travelling abroad for business or pleasure, and depending on where you are travelling to, you should be thinking about vaccinations that you might need 6 to 8 weeks before you are due to travel. Here is an overview of travel vaccinations along with some good health travel advice.
If you are travelling to countries in northern and central Europe, North America or Australia, you are unlikely to need any vaccinations. But if you are travelling outside the UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of the world such as yellow fever, typhoid and hepatitis B.
In the UK, routine NHS immunisation protects you against a number of diseases but does not cover all of the infectious diseases found overseas. You should make sure you are up to date with these NHS vaccinations before travelling abroad and it is always advisable to take details of vaccination status with you when you travel.
Some travel vaccinations which you may require for certain countries and which would incur additional cost are:
- Hepatitis A and B
- Japanese encephalitis
- Meningitis
- Rabies
- Tick-borne encephalitis
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Yellow fever
- Typhoid
Some vaccines need to be given well in advance to allow your body to develop immunity and some vaccines involve several doses spread over several weeks or months.
You may be more at risk of some diseases, for example, if you are travelling in rural areas, backpacking, staying in hostels or camping and on a long trip rather than a package holiday. Also if you have a pre-existing health problem, this may make you more at risk of infection or complications from a travel-related illness.
There are other things to consider when planning your travel vaccinations, including your age and health. You may also be more vulnerable to infection than others, some vaccines cannot be given to people with certain medical conditions.
If you are working as an aid worker, you may come into contact with more diseases, for example in a refugee camp or helping after a natural disaster. You may also be working in a medical setting and may require additional vaccinations.
Also, if you are in contact with animals, you may be more at risk of getting diseases spread by animals, such as rabies.
If you are pregnant, might be pregnant or breastfeeding, you should speak to a GP before getting any vaccinations.
For people with immune deficiencies, vaccination against certain diseases may not be advised. This may be the case if you have a condition that affects your body’s immune system, such as HIV or AIDS, if you are receiving treatment that affects your immune system such as chemotherapy or you you have recently had a bone marrow or organ transplant.
As well as getting any travel vaccinations that you might need, its also a good idea to make sure that your other UK vaccinations are up to date. These include hepatitis B, tuberculosis, flu and chickenpox.
SUMMARY
If you are planning a trip overseas, I can provide you with all the advice and help that you need in relation to travel vaccinations and travel health. I can also advise you about protecting yourself from malaria.
Remember some vaccines need to be given well in advance to allow your body time to develop immunity. Here at The Cademuir Clinic, I can administer travel vaccinations as well as provide you with certificates of vaccination.
I can also advise if you have a pre-existing medical condition or allergy too. If you are planning a trip overseas, please do not leave your travel vaccinations and travel health until the last minute.