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.
If possible, see a private travel clinic at least 6 to 8 weeks before you're due to travel.
Some vaccines need to be given well in advance to allow your body to develop immunity.
And some vaccines involve a number of doses spread over several weeks or months.
You may be more at risk of some diseases, for example, if you're:
- travelling in rural areas
- backpacking
- staying in hostels or camping
- on a long trip rather than a package holiday
If you have a pre-existing health problem, this may make you more at risk of infection or complications from a travel-related illness.
You can find out which vaccinations are necessary or recommended for the areas you'll be visiting on these websites:
Not all travel vaccinations are available free on the NHS, even if they're recommended for travel to a certain area.
You can get travel vaccines from:
- private travel vaccination clinics
- pharmacies offering travel healthcare services
The following travel vaccines are available free on the NHS from your GP surgery but you will need provide us with a report from a travel clinic stating which of the following free vaccinations are required for the country you are travelling to:
These vaccines are free because they protect against diseases thought to represent the greatest risk to public health if they were brought into the country.