Travel Vaccine Information – What you need to know

Vaccines (immunizations) can protect you from certain diseases. If you plan to travel to another country, see your health care provider or a travel medicine specialist to discuss:

• Where you are going. Include all countries in your travel schedule.
• How long you are staying.
• What you will be doing.

Based on this information, your health care provider may recommend:

• Routine vaccines. These vaccines are standard for all children and adults.
• Travel vaccines:
  • For most travelers. These vaccines are recommended for most travelers before foreign travel.
  • For some travelers. These vaccines may be necessary based on the destination country or region.

It is important to see your health care provider at least 4–6 weeks before you travel. This allows time for recommended vaccines to take effect. It also provides enough time for you to get vaccines that must be given in a series over a period of days or weeks. If you have fewer than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see your health care provider. You might still benefit from vaccines or medicines.

What are routine vaccines?

Routine vaccines are shots that can protect you from common diseases in many parts of the world. Most routine vaccines are given at certain ages starting in childhood. It is important that you are up to date on your routine vaccines before you travel. Routine vaccines include:

• An annual flu (influenza) vaccine. The annual influenza vaccine sometimes differs for the northern and southern hemispheres. You should:
  • Get both vaccines if you are traveling to the other hemisphere and you have a chronic medical condition.
  • Get the vaccine shortly before or during the flu season, and only if the vaccine in your country differs from the vaccine in your destination country.
  • Get the other influenza vaccine either before leaving the country or shortly after arriving at the destination country.
• Age-related vaccines.
  • Infants 6–11 months old should receive a measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine before travel to another country.
  • Children and adults should be up to date with all recommended vaccines.
  • Adults 60 years or older should talk to their health care provider about getting a vaccine against a certain type of pneumonia (pneumococcal) and a vaccine against shingles (herpes zoster).
• Extra doses of certain vaccines (booster vaccines), such as Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis).

What are recommended vaccines?

Recommended travel vaccines change over time. Your health care provider can tell you what vaccines are recommended before your trip. Recommended vaccines will depend on:

• The country or countries of travel.
• Whether you will be traveling to rural areas.
• How long you will be traveling.
• The season of the year.
• Your health status.
• Your vaccine history.

For most travelers

The following vaccines are recommended for most international travelers, depending on the country or countries you are traveling to:

• Hepatitis A.
• Typhoid.

For some travelers

Additional vaccines may be required when traveling to certain countries, due to a disease being common in a particular area or an ongoing outbreak of a disease. The following vaccines may be recommended based on where you are traveling:

• Yellow fever vaccine. This is required before traveling to certain countries in Africa and South America.
  • Get the yellow fever vaccine at an approved center at least 10 days before your trip.
  • You will receive a stamp, certificate, or other proof of yellow fever immunization.
  • If proof of immunization is incomplete or inaccurate, you could be medically isolated (quarantined), denied entry, or given another dose of vaccine at the travel site.
  • If it has been longer than 10 years since you received the yellow fever vaccine, another dose is required.
• Meningococcal vaccine. This may be required prior to travel to parts of Africa and Saudi Arabia.
  • Get this vaccine at least 10 days before your trip. After 10 days, most people show immunity to meningococcal disease.
  • Proof of meningococcal immunization is required by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health for any person taking part in a Muslim pilgrimage. You may not receive a visa if you are not able to provide proof of immunization.
  • If it has been longer than 3 years since your last immunization, another dose may be required.
• Polio vaccine. If you travel to a country where there is a higher risk of getting polio, you may need a booster dose.
  • Polio is a routine vaccine that most people receive as a child. Even if you completed the vaccine series as a child, you may need a booster dose before traveling to high-risk countries.
  • Infants and children may need to follow an accelerated schedule to complete the polio vaccine series before traveling to high-risk countries.
  • Some countries may require you to show proof that you have been vaccinated.
• Depending on your travel plans, you may need additional vaccines, such as:
  • Hepatitis B.
  • Rabies.
  • Tick-borne encephalitis.
  • Cholera.

Where to find more information

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): www.cdc.gov  
• World Health Organization (WHO): www.who.int  
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: www.vaccines.gov  

Summary

• Vaccines can protect you from certain diseases, and they can also prevent the spread of certain infections.
• See your health care provider at least 4–6 weeks before you travel. This allows time for vaccines to take effect.
• Vaccines for travelers include routine vaccines, recommended travel vaccines, and geographically required travel vaccines.
• The most commonly recommended travel vaccines are the hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines.