Vaccinations are available to protect you against many travel-related infections, such as yellow fever, typhoid and hepatitis A. If you’re planning to travel outside the UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of the world.
In the UK, the childhood vaccination programme protects you against a number of diseases such as tetanus, but it does not cover most of the infectious diseases that are found overseas.
Getting vaccinated
You don’t always need vaccinations to travel abroad. If you do, the type of travel injections you need depends on which country you’re visiting and what you’re doing.
Firstly make an appointment to see one of our practice nurses to find out whether your existing UK injections are up-to-date or whether you will need a booster.
Not all vaccinations are available free on the NHS, even if they’re recommended for travel to a certain area.
Free travel vaccinations
The following travel vaccinations are usually available free on the NHS:
- diphtheria, polio and tetanus (combined booster)
- typhoid
- hepatitis A(including when combined with typhoid or hepatitis B)
- cholera
These vaccines are usually free because they protect against diseases thought to represent the greatest risk to public health if they were brought into the country.
Private travel vaccinations
You’re likely to have to pay for travel vaccinations against:
- hepatitis B(when not combined with hepatitis A)
- Japanese encephalitisand tick-borne encephalitis
- meningococcal meningitis
- rabies
- tuberculosis (TB)
- yellow fever
Yellow fever vaccines are only available from designated centres. The NaTHNaC website can help you find where to get a yellow fever vaccination.
It is important to make your initial appointment as early as possible – ideally at least 6 weeks before you travel. Please contact the surgery to arrange an appointment with the Practice Nurse.
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