Things to Consider When Planning Your Travel Vaccinations

Travel Vaccination Considerations

If you are planning to travel outside UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some serious diseases that are found in other parts of the world e.g. typhoid, yellow fever, hepatitis A etc. At any time you are planning your travel vaccinations, it’s important you consider the following things:

Purpose of your visit

What you will be doing is also a factor to consider because you may get exposed to disease causing agents or get predisposed to getting a disease. For instance, if you will indoors most of the time, you have little or no chance of getting predisposed to these diseases. However, if you will spend most of your time outdoors working in rural areas, trekking or engaging on other outdoor activities, you get more exposed to disease causing microorganisms.

Will you be working as an aid worker?

If you are travelling to work as an aid worker, you may get exposed to more diseases especially if you are working in a refugee camp due to poor working and living conditions.

Will you be working in a medical setting?

Working in a medical setting requires you to have additional vaccinations to protect you against getting infected.

When you are travelling

You need to know the time of the year you are planning to travel because some diseases are common at certain specific times of the year e.g. during the rainy season.

Place Your Staying

Generally, you will be at risk of getting infected in a rural area than an urban area due to lack of social amenities and exposure to causative agents e.g. mosquitoes.

Country or countries you are planning to travel

Iideally, some diseases are common in some countries and if you are planning to visit them, you should get vaccinated against the diseases.

Period of your stay

Determine how long you will be staying in the country or countries you are planning to visit. The longer you stay, the higher the chances you will get exposed to these diseases.

Will you have contact with animals?

Zoonosis are diseases which can be transmitted from animals to man e.g. rabies or anthrax. Therefore, if you are going to contact animals, you need to get vaccinated against these diseases.

When Should I Get Travel Vaccinations?

You are advised to see your doctor at least 8 weeks before you are due to travel to have ample time to get vaccinated or advised by your doctor. Some vaccinations need some time in your body to develop immunity and hence seeing your doctor in advance is recommended. Besides developing immunity, some vaccinations involve multiple doses which are spread over a few weeks to guarantee immunity.

Hence, you need to have enough time before your planned date of travel to allow you complete the doses. However, you may not need these vaccinations if you are planning to travel to countries in northern and central Europe, Australia or North America.