What You Need to Know About Getting Vaccinated Before You Travel
As the pandemic has caused massive turmoil in the travel industry, some have foreseen a future in which you will need to prove that you have been immunized for COVID-19 before you can travel. Of course, no such vaccine exists yet, let alone any regulations requiring it. But for real travelers around the world, getting immunized before heading off to a new location should be familiar enough – there are many places in the world that are best not to visit if you are not aware of all your pictures.
Suggested / Recommended Vaccines
When you travel, there is a difference between the places where the vaccine is offered before you arrive and the places where it is needed . Vaccines on offer, such as typhoid fever, are simply recommended if you drink contaminated water, eat fresh fruit or street food that makes you sick. The travel vaccines offered or recommended can protect you in areas where there is a medium to high risk of contracting certain diseases, and can help prevent the spread of any disease from travelers leaving one country and entering another.
Here is a list of recommended vaccinations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Hepatitis A: Protects against the virus that spreads through food and water.
- Hepatitis B: Protects against a virus transmitted through infected body fluids.
- Meningococcal meningitis: Protects against the bacterial infection that causes this serious illness.
Required vaccines
Vaccinations are not controversial if you want to travel to certain areas of the world. They may also be required if you come from a specific area that is known for the prevalence of certain diseases and illnesses. Some countries will offer you on-site vaccination if you do not have documentation for the required vaccines prior to travel. Examples of some (but not all) diseases and countries in which they are required include:
Yellow fever (contracted by mosquitoes)
- Brazil: Required if traveling from Angola or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Gabon: Required for all travelers over 1 year old .
- Ghana: Required for all travelers over 9 months old.
- Kenya: Required if traveling from a yellow fever region.
- Tanzania: Required if you are traveling from a country at risk of yellow fever transmission.
You can view the full list of countries requiring yellow fever vaccination (or only recommended) here. Most of the countries on the list are where you are most likely to encounter disease-carrying mosquitoes, including countries in Africa and America.
Polio
- Afghanistan: People of Nigeria go to Afghanistan.
- Bahrain: Travelers from countries where polio is endemic.
- Belize: All travelers arriving from countries where polio is endemic and citizens of Belize, or people living in Belize and traveling to countries where confirmed cases of polio have been reported.
- Brunei: To travel to Brunei, travelers arriving from countries affected by polio must be vaccinated.
- Egypt: Travelers from polio-endemic countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria) must show proof of oral polio vaccine (OPV) or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) vaccination to apply for an entry visa. Proof is required regardless of age and vaccination. In the absence of evidence, travelers will be vaccinated on arrival.
- Georgia: Travelers from countries at risk of polio transmission.
The CDC provides a complete list based on where you travel the world. Be sure to review it and schedule appointments within the allotted time (if any) to keep yourself and the people you interact with while traveling.
Give yourself time
According to Vaccines.gov , it is important to get vaccinated at least 4-6 weeks before travel.
This will give the vaccines time to take action, and you will be protected while you travel. This will also usually ensure that you have enough time for vaccinations that require more than 1 dose.
Waiting until the last minute can make your journey difficult. For example, the CDC states that proof of yellow fever vaccination is not valid until 10 days after you received it, due to the time it takes for the drug to start protecting you. Some malaria medications need to be started 1–2 weeks before departure, while others only 1–2 days before travel. In any case, CDC suggests that you tell your healthcare provider where you are going and when so they can advise you of any action you need to take.
And if you are in the United States, check this list of travel vaccinations available in your state.