There are one or two immunisations that take a while for the body to respond to them, so it’s a good idea to speak to your local surgery a couple of months in advance of your trip if you can. A doctor or nurse should be able to give you up-to-date information.
Here are some of the things on the immunisation list. Of course, you won’t have to think about all of them - it’ll very much depend on where you’re travelling, and whether you’ve had some of them in the past or not.
Cholera:
This vaccine is taken as an oral tablet. In some cases you might need to get a vaccination certificate to travel, although this is not very often. Ask your travel company for more information.
Diptheria:
You’ve probably had this one when you were a child, howerver it might be worth thinking about a booster jab if you’re travelling to a country where there’s been an outbreak.
Hepatitis A:
You may need this if you’re travelling to a place where sanitation is seen as poor. The best way of avoiding Hepatitis A is to be careful what you consume, and to wash your hands carefully after using the toilet.
Hepatitis B:
It’s not very likely that you’ll need immunisation against Hepatitis B unless you will be at an increased risk of contraction due to your job or personal circumstances. A serious infection of the liver, it’s caught through contact with contaminated blood.
Japanese Encephalitis:
You will only possibily need this vaccination if you’re travelling to South-East Asia during the monsoon season - and usually only if you’re travelling in rural areas for a period of two weeks or longer. A vaccination is available, but it is not free on the NHS.
Malaria:
You can catch malaria if you’re bitten by an infected mosquito - symptoms are flu-like with fevers, shivering, muscle aches and headaches. Prevention is essential in many areas of Africa, Asia, Central and South America. Although anti-malaria tablets inhibit the condition, they don’t stop you becoming infected. You should therefore take along physical protection as well as making sure you take the tablets. You should start the course of tablets one to two weeks before you leave home and carry on for four to six weeks after you leave the malarial zone.
Meningitis:
This more common in some areas of Africa and Asia than it is in the UK. Your doctor or nurse will be able to advise.
Polio:
A vaccination injection for polio is recommended for all destinations. You may have had this one already though, although booster doses are recommended every ten years.
Rabies:
You won’t usually need immunisation against rabies.
Tick-borne Encephalitis:
Tick-born encephalitis is caught from an infected tick, most likely in warm forest areas of Central and Eastern Eutore and Scandinavia. If you’re walking or camping in these areas, use insect repellents and try to keep your skin covered. There is also a vaccine.
Tuberculosis (TB):
Most people have already had a vaccination against TB, but if you haven’t you only need to think about if you spending more than a month in Africa, Asia, Central or South America or Eastern Europe. You will need a skin test before your jab, and it should be given around two months before your trip if possible.
Typhoid:
Typhoid can be caught from contaminated food, drinks or water. It’s recommended for all countries apart from Northern Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. If you’ve had a jab but this was over a year ago, check that you won’t need a booster.
Yellow Fever:
Yellow Fever can be caught by an infected mosquito. You may need a certificate of vaccination for some countries in Central and West Africa, so find out more if you’re travelling in this area of the world.
Haydn Wrath is the owner at Travel nation specialising in round the world flights and adventure trips. Travel Nation have a wealth of experience in putting together round the world itineries.
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