Travel Vaccination – When Should You Get It?

Getting vaccinated the last thing before traveling or skipping it entirely is not a good idea. Although granted, it may not be convenient to get injected, but it pays in the long run.

There have been reports of people who lost their lives simply because they didn’t get a vaccine early. This may be uncommon, yet it’s a clarion call to everyone to ensure they get vaccinated against many dangerous diseases like typhoid, rabies, hepatitis A, and yellow fever before traveling abroad. This is essential to stay safe and keep others safe too.

The vaccination process

Vaccines are administered via injection or the mouth. They consist of inactivated viruses, bacteria, or toxins in small amounts released into the body. Often, the body gets the toxin released by the bacterium or virus. This procedure is described as immunization from a vaccine. It’s not like being immunized via your mother.

Following the inactivity of the agent contained in the vaccine, getting infected from it is not possible. Rather, the vaccine will trigger the immune system in the body. The white blood cells will produce antibodies that will keep a specific viral or bacterial infection at bay.

If this same bacterium or virus invades the body again, the existing antibodies will resist them and prevent sickness. This is what we know as immunity. Often, it could be permanent.

The type of vaccination you need before traveling

You need to get a vaccination before traveling abroad. The type you need comes down to where you’re traveling to, your health condition, and activities you intend to carry out abroad. Bear in mind that different vaccines have different times of administration before you travel.

After getting vaccinated, in 7 to 14 days, the body will develop resistance against infectious diseases. But for some vaccines like hepatitis B and rabies vaccine, more than one dose is required to be taken over several weeks to immunize the body properly.

Experts say the yellow fever vaccine is compulsory for travelers heading to some African countries and South America.

Ten days after getting the yellow fever vaccine, the international certificate that follows it becomes valid.

Note also that some vaccines are administered once, and that’s final for life. Others need a retake to boost the initial dose after several months or years. The flu vaccine, for instance, requires a yearly dose.

For travelers leaving the UK, it is advised you consult your GP surgery or travel clinic within 4 to 6 weeks at least before taking that flight. Should your medical condition be complex, it’s recommended you get early advice.

Planning ahead is important

Avoid the mistake of taking your vaccine very close to travel time. It won’t allow enough time for the body to generate enough antibodies and keep you well protected.

Late vaccination would make you develop side effects (if you’re supposed to) during the flight or upon landing at your destination.

Based on this, experts advise you to take the vaccine about eight weeks before traveling since your body may need a few days to several weeks to produce antibodies.

Time is crucial in getting a travel vaccine because some persons require several injections in a single course, and others need to be immunized ahead of time.

Once again, experts have advised that travelers leaving the UK get advice from their GP surgery or travel clinic 4 to 6 weeks before traveling and patients having severe medical issues should seek early advice. In general, early vaccination is great, but having it late will cause more problems.

But in cases of limited time, getting advice is still okay. In some cases where a disease has a long incubation period, having a vaccine late may still be effective. Others could also protect your body, even if not immediately, and several preventive measures can be considered.

For most recent information on vaccines and procedures for vaccination in the UK, see the Green Book, also called Immunisation Against Infectious Diseases.

Do travel vaccines have side effects?

In the initial 5 to 10 days of getting vaccinated, patients may experience slight, temporary side effects like headache, muscle pain, and mild fever.

Allergies to vaccine carriers like gelatine or egg protein is another problem people may experience. This is why you should inform your doctor ahead of the vaccination about any possible reactions you may have.

Though rare, there are times a severe allergic reaction may happen just immediately after getting vaccinated.

Some persons cannot be given certain kinds of vaccines. There are people also at risk for certain vaccines, so care should be taken for persons with a weak immune system, pregnant women, HIV-infected persons, and people aged 60 and above.

Will you be at risk if you are not vaccinated?

Yes. You stand a chance of getting infected and passing on the disease to others. This is because vaccines are administered to protect the receiver and control community transmission (spread to other people).

Experts say that the risk public health suffers due to zero vaccination is categorized into:

• Direct infection (personal health risk)
• Continuous transmission (public health risk)

They also admit that the cost of treating infected persons due to no vaccination is an added cost to health systems.

It’s important to note that certain vaccines are very effective, while some don’t offer the same efficacy. For instance, the vaccine for typhoid is about 70 percent protective for three years, which is why preventative measures like personal hygiene, clean water, and healthy foods are essential additions.

Are you still unsure of what this is about? You can make an appointment at a travel vaccination clinic near you. The doctor will discuss vaccination and other measures that can prevent diseases. You can also check the Walk-In Clinic for more information on the travel vaccine.