Are you planning a trip abroad? One of the best parts about traveling to another country is bringing back souvenirs; however, one souvenir you don’t want to bring back home with you is a potentially dangerous disease like typhoid or malaria. Before you travel outside the country, it’s important to make sure you’re on top of all the necessary vaccines so you can protect yourself and your loved ones from diseases to which you could be exposed. Here’s what you need to know about travel vaccines to help you stay safe during and after your trip:

What Are Travel Vaccines?

Travel vaccines are immunizations that you receive prior to traveling internationally to help protect you from certain diseases. There are some diseases that are more prevalent in other countries that you may have never been exposed to in the United States. It’s important to receive immunizations for the diseases that are prevalent in the country to which you’re traveling so you can be protected against them. Getting the right travel vaccines before you travel abroad can help keep you from getting sick during your trip as well as lower the risk of bringing an illness home to your loved ones when you return.

Which Vaccines Do I Need Before Traveling?

It is often recommended to receive certain vaccines before you embark on an international trip, whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure. Make sure you are up to date on all recommended routine immunizations, such as chickenpox, flu, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis), pneumococcal, shingles, etc. In addition to getting caught up on routine immunizations, you may also need to get travel vaccines that are specific to your destination. For example, malaria and yellow fever vaccines are recommended for travel to certain parts of South America and Africa. Hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines are recommended for travel to Southeast Asia. Depending on your travel destination, recommended travel vaccines may include:

• Yellow fever
• Typhoid
• Cholera
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Meningococcal
• Tick-borne encephalitis
• Japanese encephalitis
• Rabies
• Dengue fever
• Polio

If your travel plans include a country where malaria is prevalent, make sure you get prophylactic malaria medication and take it as directed before, during, and after your trip.

When Should I Get Travel Vaccines?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, you should plan to get all your travel vaccines at least four to six weeks prior to leaving the country. It may take several days or weeks for your body to build up adequate protection after receiving a vaccine. In addition, some immunizations require multiple doses with a certain amount of time between each, so you need to make sure you have enough time to get all the doses before you embark. The hepatitis A vaccine, for instance, requires two doses given six months apart, so if you are traveling to a country where this disease is prevalent, allow plenty of time to get both doses. This ensures you are fully protected during your travels.

Travel Vaccines at Village Discount Drugs

Before you leave for your international trip, it’s important to make sure you are up to date on all required and recommended vaccines so you can protect yourself and those around you. Here at Village Discount Drugs, we offer both routine immunizations and travel vaccines to help you stay protected while traveling and at home. Reach out to us today to learn more about getting the vaccines you need at your trusted local pharmacy.