International travel is a thrill, unless you’re ill. You may need these travel vaccinations before your trip.
In the United States, there are many routine immunizations we get for our children or ourselves. But if you’re planning to travel outside the U.S., there are some vaccines you should receive before you leave. The specific immunizations will depend on your destination and what activities you’re planning. Be aware that some immunizations are required to enter certain countries.
To learn which travel vaccines are recommended for your destination, consult the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. You should talk to your health-care provider about required immunizations, and the Vanderbilt International Travel Clinic can provide the necessary vaccines before you travel.
Vaccines recommended for some international travel include those that protect against these diseases:
- Cholera
- Hepatitis A
- Japanese encephalitis
- Rabies
- Typhoid
- Yellow fever (required for travel to certain parts of the world).
There are routine vaccines you and your family should have received at home even without international travel.
Check and make sure your family is up to date on these vaccines and get booster shots if necessary. (Follow these suggestions for locating immunization records.)
- Diphtheria
- Flu
- Hepatitis B
- Measles, mumps and rubella
- Meningococcal
- Pneumococcal
- Polio
- Tetanus
- Varicella (chicken pox)
The Vanderbilt International Travel Clinic can help you learn which vaccines you should get before your trip. Call 615-936-1174 for an appointment well in advance of your trip.
