Travel Clinic

Travel Vaccines

Vaccination should be obtained by those who travel abroad visiting areas where there is a higher risk of contracting infectious disease (if in doubt please contact one of our nurses). You could also visit ‘Fit for Travel’ website on the internet www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk

Vaccinations protect you against many travel-related infections, such as yellow fever, typhoid and hepatitis A. Use the information on these pages to learn about travel vaccines, which ones you need for your destination, and when and where to get them. In the UK, the childhood vaccination programme protects against a number of diseases, such as tetanus, but it does not cover most of the infectious diseases that are found overseas.

Travel vaccinations

You can find out which vaccinations are necessary or recommended for the areas you will be visiting on these two websites:

Some countries require you to have an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) before you enter. For example, Saudi Arabia requires proof of vaccination against certain types of meningitis for visitors arriving for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.

Many tropical countries in Africa and South America will not accept travellers from an area where there is yellow fever, unless they can prove that they have been vaccinated against it.

Getting vaccinated

You don’t always need vaccinations to travel abroad. If you do, the type of travel jabs you need depends on which country you’re visiting and what you’re doing.

Unfortunately the practice does not offer the free NHS travel vaccinations service so you will need to make an appointment with a private clinic if you require vaccinations. Well Travelled Clinics in Chester is the nearest to the practice – 0151 7053223 www.welltravelledclinics.co.uk

Private travel vaccinations

The cost of travel vaccines at private clinics will vary, but could be around £50 for each dose of a vaccine. Therefore, if a vaccine requires three doses, the total cost could be around £150. It’s worth considering this when budgeting for your trip.

Things to consider

There are several things to consider when planning your travel vaccinations, including:

the country or countries you are visiting – in some cases, the region of a country you are visiting will also be important
when you are travelling – some diseases are more common at certain times of the year, for example during the rainy season
where you are staying – in general, you will be more at risk of getting diseases in rural areas than in urban areas
if you are backpacking and staying in hostels or camping, you may be more at risk than if you were on a package holiday and staying in a hotel
how long you will be staying – the longer your stay, the greater your risk of being exposed to diseases
your age and health – some people may be more vulnerable to infection than others, while some vaccinations cannot be given to people with certain medical conditions
what you will be doing during your stay – for example, whether you will be spending a lot of time outdoors, such as trekking or working in rural areas
if you are working as an aid worker, you may come into contact with more diseases if you are working in a refugee camp or helping after a natural disaster
if you are working in a medical setting – for example, a doctor or nurse may require additional vaccinations
if you are in contact with animals, you may be more at risk of getting diseases that are spread by animals, such as rabies