5 Things to Know About Travel Immunizations

How do I know if I need any travel immunizations?
If you are traveling outside the continental United States, Hawaii or Alaska, it would be wise to visit your healthcare provider to determine if you indeed need vaccinations. Before your visit, you will need to bring an up-to-date list of vaccinations that you have already received, list of medications, medical problems, where you will be traveling and for how long, and allergy information. If your healthcare provider is unfamiliar with the recommended travel vaccinations refer him to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) specifically for physicians.

If I am going to travel, when should I get vaccinations?
It is recommended that you see your healthcare provider at least six to eight weeks prior to your travel as some vaccines require this amount of time to become effective. You should also be up-to-date on the recommended vaccinations for adults in the United States. The immunization schedule is available on the CDC website.

What if I am traveling with children?
Infants and children are at the same risk as adults will also need vaccinations. Children should be up-to-date for routine immunizations recommended in the United States and the same information mentioned above will need to be provided to your child's physician.

What if I am pregnant or have a chronic illness and will be traveling, are there vaccines that I should not get?
Pregnant women, severely immunocompromised individuals or those with symptomatic HIV (less than 200 CD4 count) should not receive certain live vaccines, such as yellow fever, MMR, live intranasal influenza (Flumist), typhoid, varicella, and Bacille Calmette Guerin. The risks and benefits of vaccines will need to be discussed with your provider as certain areas should be avoided if you are unable to receive the proper immunizations.

Where can I find more information about travel immunizations, especially about the countries that I will be traveling to?
It is important to check the CDC website and click onto the heading "Vaccinations" for the most recent information regarding routine, recommended and required vaccinations. Certain countries, such as Brazil and Argentina, require a yellow fever certificate before they will allow entry to certain aspects of the country. The CDC also offers useful general traveling advice to make your trip as safe and enjoyable as possible.