Passport Health logo
Find a Clinic:
Vaccinations|Find a Travel Clinic|Advice
  • Home
    • About
        • Company History
        • Executive Team
        • Careers
        • Contact Us
        • Customer Feedback
        • FAQ
        • Media Kit
        • Mission Statement
        • Passport Health App
        • Privacy Policy
    • Blogs
      • Main
      • Employer Solutions
      • Passports and Visas
    • Close
  • Destination Advice
    • Top Destinations
        • COVID-19 Testing
        • Domestic COVID-19 Restrictions
        • International COVID-19 Restrictions
        • Fit to Fly
        • Brazil
        • China
        • Costa Rica
        • India
        • Kenya
        • Peru
        • Philippines
        • South Africa
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
    • Destination Advice
        • Tips and recommendations for healthy travel to any destination:

          • Afghanistan
          • Albania
          • Algeria
          • American Samoa
          • Andorra
          • Angola
          • Anguilla
          • Antarctica
          • Antigua and Barbuda
          • Argentina
          • Armenia
          • Aruba
          • Australia
          • Austria
          • Azerbaijan
          • Azores
          • Bahamas
          • Bahrain
          • Balearics
          • Bangladesh
          • Barbados
          • Belarus
          • Belgium
          • Belize
          • Benin
          • Bermuda
          • Bhutan
          • Bolivia
          • Bonaire
          • Bora Bora
          • Bosnia
          • Botswana
          • Brazil
          • British Virgin Islands
          • Brunei
          • Bulgaria
          • Burkina Faso
          • Burma
          • Burundi
          • Cambodia
          • Cameroon
          • Canada
          • Canary Islands
          • Cape Verde
          • Cayman Islands
          • Central African Republic
          • Chad
          • Chile
          • China
          • Christmas Island
          • Cocos (Keeling) Islands
          • Colombia
          • Comoros
          • Cook Islands
          • Costa Rica
          • Cote d'Ivoire
          • Croatia
          • Cuba
          • Curacao
          • Cyprus
          • Czechia
          • Democratic Republic of the Congo
          • Denmark
          • Djibouti
          • Dominica
          • Dominican Republic
          • East Timor
          • Easter Island
          • Ecuador
          • Egypt
          • El Salvador
          • Equatorial Guinea
          • Eritrea
          • Estonia
          • Ethiopia
          • Falkland Islands
          • Faroe Islands
          • Fiji
          • Finland
          • France
          • French Guiana
          • French Polynesia
          • Gabon
          • Gambia
          • Georgia
          • Germany
          • Ghana
          • Gibraltar
          • Greece
          • Greenland
          • Grenada
          • Guadeloupe
          • Guam
          • Guatemala
          • Guinea
          • Guinea-Bissau
          • Guyana
          • Haiti
          • Hawaii
          • Honduras
          • Hong Kong
          • Hungary
          • Ibiza
          • Iceland
          • India
          • Indonesia
          • Iran
          • Iraq
          • Ireland
          • Israel
          • Italy
          • Jamaica
          • Japan
          • Jordan
          • Kazakhstan
          • Kenya
          • Kiribati
          • Kosovo
          • Kuwait
          • Kyrgyzstan
          • Laos
          • Latvia
          • Lebanon
          • Lesotho
          • Liberia
          • Libya
          • Liechtenstein
          • Lithuania
          • Luxembourg
          • Macau
          • Macedonia
          • Madagascar
          • Madeira Islands
          • Malawi
          • Malaysia
          • Maldives
          • Mali
          • Malta
          • Marshall Islands
          • Martinique
          • Mauritania
          • Mauritius
          • Mayotte
          • Mexico
          • Micronesia
          • Moldova
          • Monaco
          • Mongolia
          • Montenegro
          • Montserrat
          • Morocco
          • Mozambique
          • Namibia
          • Nauru
          • Nepal
          • Netherlands
          • New Caledonia
          • New Zealand
          • Nicaragua
          • Niger
          • Nigeria
          • Niue
          • Norfolk Island
          • North Korea
          • Northern Marianas
          • Norway
          • Oman
          • Pakistan
          • Palau
          • Palestinian Territories
          • Panama
          • Papua New Guinea
          • Paraguay
          • Peru
          • Philippines
          • Pitcairn Islands
          • Poland
          • Portugal
          • Puerto Rico
          • Qatar
          • Republic of the Congo
          • Réunion
          • Romania
          • Russia
          • Rwanda
          • Saba
          • St. Barthelemy
          • Saint Helena
          • St. Kitts and Nevis
          • St. Lucia
          • Saint Martin
          • St. Pierre-et-Miquelon
          • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
          • Samoa
          • San Marino
          • Sao Tome and Principe
          • Saudi Arabia
          • Senegal
          • Serbia
          • Seychelles
          • Sierra Leone
          • Singapore
          • Sint Eustatius
          • Slovakia
          • Slovenia
          • Solomon Islands
          • Somalia
          • South Africa
          • South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands
          • South Korea
          • South Sudan
          • Spain
          • Sri Lanka
          • Sudan
          • Suriname
          • Swaziland
          • Sweden
          • Switzerland
          • Syria
          • Tahiti
          • Taiwan
          • Tajikistan
          • Tanzania
          • Thailand
          • Togo
          • Tokelau
          • Tonga
          • Trinidad and Tobago
          • Tunisia
          • Turkey
          • Turkmenistan
          • Turks and Caicos Islands
          • Tuvalu
          • U.S. Virgin Islands
          • Uganda
          • Ukraine
          • United Arab Emirates
          • United Kingdom
          • United States
          • Uruguay
          • Uzbekistan
          • Vanuatu
          • Vatican
          • Venezuela
          • Vietnam
          • Wake Island
          • Western Sahara
          • Yemen
          • Zambia
          • Zimbabwe
    • Close
  • Travel Medicine
    • Travel Medical Services
        • Vaccines for Travel
        • Travel Health Consulting
        • Travelers’ Diarrhea Medicine
        • Dengue Fever Prevention
        • Malaria Medication
        • Chikungunya Prevention
        • Zika Virus Prevention
        • Coronavirus
        • Ebola Virus
        • Travel Health Alerts
    • Additional Travel Services
      • Travel Physicals
      • Motion Sickness Medicine
      • Travel Insurance
      • Physician Referral Program
      • Online Store
    • Close
  • Vaccines
    • Overview
        • Anthrax
        • Chickenpox
        • Cholera
        • Hepatitis A
        • Hepatitis B
        • Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
        • Japanese Encephalitis
        • Malaria Information
        • Measles – Mumps – Rubella (MMR)
        • Meningitis
        • Pneumonia
        • Polio
        • Rabies
        • Shingles
        • Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis
        • Typhoid
        • Yellow Fever
    • Influenza (The Flu)
        • Learn more about your flu vaccine options

          • Flublok®: Egg Free, Cell Based
          • High Dose
          • Quadrivalent
    • Routine Tests
      • COVID-19 Testing
      • TB Tests
      • Titer Testing
    • Routine Vaccinations
      • Overview
    • Close
  • COVID-19
    • COVID-19 Services
      • COVID-19 Testing
      • COVID-19 Domestic Restrictions
      • COVID-19 International Restrictions
      • COVID-19 Vaccine
      • Fit to Fly
      • Fit for Duty
    • Close
  • For Employers
    • Corporate Wellness Solutions
      • COVID-19 Services
      • Occupational Vaccines
      • Onsite Flu Clinics
      • Onsite Biometric Screenings
      • Employee Wellness
      • Employment Physicals
    • Corporate Travel Solutions
      • Travel Medicine and Vaccinations
      • Passport and Visa Services
      • Pre-Deployment Exams
    • Close
  • Online Store
    • Passport Health Store
      • COVID-19 Protection Kit
      • Travelers’ Diarrhea Kits
      • Mosquito Repellents
    • Close
  • Locations
      • United States Map for Locations New Jersey Massachusetts Oregon Nevada South Dakota Montana Wisconsin California Kansas North Dakota Idaho Illinois Michigan Missouri Utah Indiana Louisiana Iowa Florida Georgia Washington Tennessee Alabama Mississippi Arkansas Arizona North Carolina Pennsylvania Ohio Kentucky South Carolina Virginia New Hampshire Rhode Island West Virginia New York Vermont Maine Connecticut Nebraska Oklahoma Colorado Wyoming Maryland Delaware New Mexico Texas Alaska Minnesota New Hampshire Vermont Massachusetts Rhode Island Connecticut New Jersey Delaware Maryland Hawaii District of Columbia
        Canada Locations Canada Locations
        Mexico Locations Mexico Locations
    • Close
  • Locations
      • United States FlagUnited States
    • Close

Holiday Travel: 3 Crucial Travel Vaccinations for Your Next Trip

December 26, 2014 By Cait Hartwyk 1 Comment

Vaccine Vials with Syringe and Needle

 

In the previous posts in the Passport Health Holiday Travel Tips Series, we have discussed tips that will help you have a fun and safe trip, wherever your travels may take you. However, there is one piece of advice that is more important than nearly any other when it comes to preventing disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the best prevention of almost any disease is being vaccinated (assuming a vaccine is available for that illness). Here are three vaccines that should be considered before your next trip.

Flu Shot

While not technically a ‘travel’ vaccine, the flu shot is one of the most important vaccines for anyone, especially travelers. It comes in a few different variants that serve different specific purposes and population segments.

Trivalent– This is the “standard” flu vaccine. It protects against three different types of the flu virus. It does also come in a preservative-free variation for those who may have latex or other allergies.

Quadrivalent- Similar to the standard flu vaccine, this variation protects against three strains of influenza, but it also adds one more for additional protection. It is generally suggested for high risk groups like the immunosuppressed or the elderly. Note that in future years, the production of the trivalent vaccine is likely to be phased out in favor of this version.

FluBlok– An egg-free version of the trivalent vaccine. It was recently approved for everyone 18-years and older, and is manufactured using a revolutionary cell-based technology that does not involve eggs, preservatives, antibiotics, or live influenza virus. If you are vegan or allergic to eggs, this is the vaccine for you!

FluMist– A nasal-delivered version of the vaccine that was recently approved for children. Even though this presentation of the flu vaccine is a nasal spray instead of a shot, it still must be given by a clinician, as the exact steps that must be followed to administer it are very specific.

Meningitis

Meningitis is a potentially deadly disease that can strike anyone, and it is something travelers need to be protected against. Vaccines for the disease protect against infections that can lead to meningitis, not the virus itself. The vaccine is still effective; however, the exact amount of time for which the vaccine is effective varies depending on the type you choose to get (or are able to get, based on age).

Menveo– As the newest of the meningitis vaccines, it is still unknown whether this vaccine requires a booster, and the exact amount of time it will last is still being studied as well. However, unlike the other two meningitis vaccines discussed below, this vaccine can be given to infants as young as two months old. If you will be traveling with a younger child in an area where meningitis is endemic, this is likely your best option.

Menactra– With five plus years of protection, Menactra offers the best known coverage at the moment. It is estimated that a booster is needed every five to 10 years. The vaccine can be given to children as young as two years and to adults up to the age of 55.

Menomune– One advantage of Mennomune is its known time table. If you chose to go with this vaccine, you will need a booster every three to five years. If you are over 55, this vaccine may be recommended as well, since unlike Menveo and Menactra, there is no specific date when it should no longer be given.

In all of these cases, consult with a Passport Health Travel Specialist for a better idea of what is best for you and your family.

Typhoid

This bacteria-borne disease is prevalent in areas with poor hygiene habits and sanitation, and it can be easy to contract, making this vaccine practically invaluable for those that may be traveling to areas that are still developing. This vaccine comes in two forms, an injection and an oral version.

Injectable Typhoid– This injectable variant of the vaccine can be given to children that are two years old, but immunity lasts for two years for people of any age who receive the vaccine. If you are an adult or your child is over the age of 6, you may want to consider using the oral vaccine.

Typhoid Oral- This four tab vaccine will protect against typhoid for up to five years. However, avoid antibiotics and anti-malarial medications seven days before and after receiving the vaccine. There is also the possibility of gastric upset for patients that chose to use the oral vaccine.

Yellow Fever

Depending on where you might be headed, the yellow fever vaccine might be the most important one you’ll get. Many countries throughout the world require the vaccination in order to enter certain regions or the country itself. These strict measures are in place to help avoid spread of a disease that has an extremely deadly history. If you receive the yellow fever vaccine, be sure to keep your Yellow Card with you at all times during your travel. If you lose it, you will either not be able to enter certain regions or could be given a vaccination on the spot.

What other vaccines do you think might be helpful before traveling abroad? Comment below or on our Facebook page with your thoughts.

Filed Under: General Posts

Comments

  1. Kylie Dotts says

    September 18, 2017 at 3:59 pm

    It makes sense that you would want to ensure that you get vaccinated for yellow fever, especially if you are going somewhere that has lots of mosquitos. I’m sure that you could talk to a travel doctor and learn everything that you would need to know about keeping yourself safe from getting sickness or disease while you are where you are. There are so many potential dangers out there it’s best to be as prepared as possible at all times.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Do you need your passport or visa in a hurry?

Passport Icon

Get your travel
documents ASAP!

Why Use a Travel Medicine Specialist?

Countless Considerations, Even for Just One Destination!

We Can Answer

  • Which vaccines are required?
  • Which vaccines may be recommended?
  • Which medications do I need?
  • What Travel Supplies do I need?

And much more

Do you need travel vaccines?

Schedule an appointment with your local Passport Health Travel Medicine Specialist

Find a Passport Health Clinic

Latest health alerts for international travelers

International Health Alerts

INFLUENZA Worldwide
June '19 – According to the CDC, annual vaccination against seasonal influenza is recommended for ...

YELLOW FEVER in Argentina, Brazil, Congo, Republic of the, Nigeria, Peru, Suriname, Uganda
June '19 - Case numbers for yellow fever are thought to be greatly under-reported; the World Health...

More Health Alert Information»

Recent Blog Posts

  • How Does Measles Spread? A New Study Gives Answers
  • The Necessary and Unfortunate Identity of “Patient Zero”
  • What Was The Plague of Justinian? How A Single Outbreak Killed 10% Of The World’s Population.
  • Tips To Stay Safe While Traveling Alone

Blog Archives

  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Clinical Trials
  • Contact Us
  • Records Requests
  • Passport Health App
  • Privacy Center
  • Online Store
  • Sitemap
Schedule Your Appointment:
Questions? Please call or E-mail Us
FIRST CLASS MEDICAL CARE
FOR TRAVEL ANYWHERE®

Connect With Us:

Passport Health on Facebook
Passport Health on Twitter
Passport Health on YouTube
Passport Health on Instagram
Passport Health on Linked In
Passport Health Feed

Passport Health is an Outlier business Copyright © 2021