Travel Vaccinations

Who should have travel vaccinations

If you're travelling abroad, you may need to be vaccinated against illnesses mainly found in that country.

There are lots of different travel vaccinations, so the ones you'll need depends on the country you're going to, and where in that country you're going.

Getting vaccinated reduces the chance of you becoming ill or bringing a disease back into the UK. This helps everyone, including vulnerable people who may not be able to have a travel vaccination.

Countries and the vaccinations you need

Check the vaccinations recommended for the country you're travelling to on the TravelHealthPro website

When and where to get travel vaccinations

You should try to get advice from a travel health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. This is because some vaccinations involve a course of doses, and others take time to build up protection against the disease.

You may not be fully protected when you travel if you leave your vaccination until the last minute.

Where you get your travel vaccination from depends on the vaccine. Some vaccines are free on the NHS and some you have to pay for.

Free vaccinations on the NHS

You can get free NHS vaccinations, after completing a risk assessment form, at a GP surgery to protect you from:

cholera
polio (given as part of the combined TD/IVP vaccination)
hepatitis A
typhoid fever

Vaccinations you need to pay for

Vaccinations not routinely available on the NHS include vaccinations to protect you from:

hepatitis B
Japanese encephalitis
rabies
tick-borne encephalitis
yellow fever (only available to book at certain vaccination centres) - find a yellow fever vaccination centre on the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website

You can book and pay for travel vaccinations at a private vaccination clinic, a pharmacy with travel health services, or a GP surgery if available.

At your appointment, you may be asked about previous travel vaccinations and routine vaccinations. All travellers, including children, are recommended to be up to date with standard vaccinations, such as measles.

If you do not know what vaccinations you've had, you can get help with vaccinations in the NHS App, or ask your GP.

Proof of vaccination

You may also need to get an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP). Once you've paid and had a vaccination, such as yellow fever, this certificate is your proof.

Things to help with travel vaccinations

There are things you can do to help make getting a travel vaccine easier.

Do

check if you can have a travel vaccine - if you've previously had a serious allergic reaction to a vaccine or its ingredient, it may not be suitable for you
tell the person vaccinating you if you have any health conditions, including a weakened immune system, or if you're pregnant - you should also bring any medicine you take
book your vaccination at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel - some vaccines need days or weeks between doses to work properly
check when you had any previous travel vaccinations - some travel vaccines can protect you for years, but others will only protect you short term

Don't

do not have a travel vaccination if you're unwell - including a high temperature - wait until you feel better
do not worry too much if you get a small bump where you were injected, a high temperature or headache after the injection - these are common side effects and are usually mild

More information

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