Travel Shots

Reasons to Get Them, What to Expect, Associated Risks & More

The best part of traveling is enjoying new experiences. So when you travel, it’s important to make sure you don’t take any health risks that could get in the way of your exploration. That’s why travel shots are so important. By getting an immunization before your trip, you can ensure health and happiness during your travels, and save yourself from a potentially devastating disease. While many vaccine-preventable illnesses have become rare in the United States, some, such as pertussis (whooping cough) and measles, are still common in other parts of the world. No matter where you’re going for an international trip, you should get the recommended vaccines to lower your chances of contracting and spreading the disease.

So, how do you go about getting vaccinated? Start by seeing a health care professional to make sure that you haven’t missed any of your routine vaccinations, and get caught up on those. Then, get the recommended travel immunizations for your destination at least four to six weeks before any international travel. It may take that much time to complete a vaccine series and allow your body to build up immunity.

A few of the vaccine-preventable, travel-related diseases that your physician may recommend travel shots for, depending upon where you’re going, include:

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Japanese encephalitis
• Typhoid and paratyphoid fever
• Meningococcal disease
• Rabies
• Yellow fever