Travel Vaccinations' Advice This factsheet is for people who would like information about travel vaccinations to prevent infection when abroad. Depending on your destination, you may need to have vaccinations before you travel to prevent you from getting a disease while you are in the foreign country you are visiting. About Travel Vaccinations You generally won't need new vaccinations if you are travelling to the United States, Western Europe, and most parts of Australia or New Zealand. But you should ensure your booster immunisations for diphtheria, tetanus and polio are up to date. Before you travel, you should also check if you need to take malaria tablets to prevent a malaria infection. Why Be Vaccinated? Which Travel Vaccinations May I Need? Hepatitis A You usually need to have the first hepatitis A injection two weeks before you travel. This is to allow time to build up immunity but you can get the vaccination up to the day you travel. You will be given two doses of the vaccine which should protect you for 20 years after the date of the second dose. You only need the first injection before you travel. The second injection is given about six to 12 months later. You can get a combined vaccine which protects against hepatitis A and B, or one which jointly protects against hepatitis A and typhoid. You need to have separate boosters for each disease for more long-term protection. Meningococcal Meningitis You should have the combined vaccine two to three weeks before you plan to travel. A single dose is required for adults and for children over two years old. Children over two months and under two years need a second dose of vaccine three months after the first dose for long-term protection. You and your children over five will need a booster every five years if you are at continued risk. Children under five need a booster every two to three years. Tetanus/ Diphtheria/ Polio You will usually receive the tetanus/diphtheria/polio vaccines during childhood unless you were born before 1958 when the vaccine programmes were introduced. All adults and children aged 10 or over who have not had the courses should have three doses one month apart and two boosters. One booster is given five to 10 years later and the second 10 years after. Typhoid Getting vaccinated is especially important if you're planning to stay in areas where sanitation and food hygiene are poor. You should also be careful not to drink contaminated water or eat contaminated foods. Yellow Fever A yellow fever vaccine should be given at least 10 days before you plan to travel. You can have a booster after 10 years if you are still at risk of yellow fever. You should also take precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Cholera Two doses (which are taken by mouth) are given one week apart and the second dose must be given at least a week before departure. You shouldn't eat for one hour before or after the vaccination. Adults and children over six will need a booster two years after the second dose. Children between two and six need a booster after six months. The initial doses are needed if you haven't had a booster in the last two years. Hepatitis B You will need three doses. After the first dose, you will need the second a month later and the third dose five months after the second dose. If you need to be vaccinated quickly, you can ask for a rapid schedule and have a full course over 3 weeks or 2 months. Japanese Encephalitis If time is limited, you can have two doses one week part. The second dose needs to be 10 days before you travel. You will need a booster three months after the second dose. You should also take precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Tick-Borne Encephalitis You will be given three doses of the vaccine. The first dose, the second dose one to three months later, then the third dose five to 12 months after the second one. If you need more immediate protection you can have two doses, two weeks apart. Rabies The vaccine is usually given in three doses. After the first dose, you will need the second seven days later. The third dose is given three weeks after the second dose. You then need a booster between two to five years later, depending on the type of vaccine given. Ask the health professional for advice. Getting vaccinated If there are less than six weeks before you plan to travel, you should still go to your GP to ask for advice before you set off. You may still be able to be vaccinated. There may be an option to have a course of injections over a shorter period. You will have to pay for travel vaccinations. Do I need a malaria vaccine? Malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes infected with the parasite, plasmodium. You will need to take an antimalarial medicine before travelling to any area where malaria is prevalent. This includes Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South America, South East Asia and the Pacific islands. The tablets need to be taken at certain times of the day before, during and after you travel. For most tablets you should start the course one week before travel. Mefloquine needs to be started two to three weeks before. However, you can still begin one or two days before travel. With most of the tablets, you will need to carry on taking them for four weeks after you have left the area. Some antimalarials are more appropriate for long-term use. If you're staying in an area where malaria is prevalent for more than six months, it's important to continue taking your antimalarial tablets on your return, as you will continue to be at risk of the disease. However, if you plan to permanently move to an area where malaria is endemic, you should seek specialist advice. The type of tablets given differs for different parts of the world. You will need to check with a health professional to find out which tablets are needed for the country you are travelling to. You should make sure you complete the dose given and take them at the times outlined. Malaria distribution and the types of medicine you may need to take can change. If you have previously visited a country where malaria is endemic you should check to see if the types of medicine you need to take have changed. Antimalarial medicines may not fully prevent malaria. You also need to avoid mosquito bites by doing the following: Live vaccines include: Can I have travel vaccinations if I am pregnant? There is limited scientific research outlining if vaccines can harm an unborn child. Live vaccines, such as yellow fever, are particularly risky, but the exact risk isn't known. If you can avoid travel or are going to an area with low risk, you may not be given the vaccination. If you are at a high risk of getting the disease, then you may be given the vaccine. Ask your health adviser for information if you are travelling and are pregnant. Further information Sources Related Topics:
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