Planning a holiday is exciting, and when adventure is on the horizon the last thing you want is to have it spoiled by illness. That’s why being fit for travel includes more than packing your suitcase – it means protecting your health too. One of the easiest ways to do that is to make sure you’re up to date on your travel vaccines.
Whether you’re off to explore the temples of Thailand, the vibrant streets of India or the wildlife of South Africa, Superdrug Clinics can help. With easy online booking and a range of essential holiday vaccinations, our expert nurses and pharmacists can help you stay healthy while you travel.
What are travel vaccines?
Travel vaccines are vaccines that are recommended or required when you travel to certain places outside the UK. They help to protect you against diseases that may be more common or higher risk in those places.
They can also help to protect you if you’re going off the beaten path in your travels. For example, if you’re staying in rural areas, backpacking, staying in hostels or travelling for many weeks you could be at more risk of infection.
The good news is that getting the right travel vaccines for the right countries before your trip can hugely reduce your risk while travelling. And it doesn’t just protect you – it means you’re less likely to catch and pass on illnesses to friends or family, or fellow travellers along the way.
Why are holiday vaccinations important?
Travellers may encounter disease such as yellow fever, malaria, hepatitis or typhoid in different parts of the world. Because these aren’t common in the UK, we don’t develop any childhood immunity to them, so we’re more at risk if we travel somewhere where they are common.
Even something that seems minor, like contaminated food or insect bites, can lead to serious illness without the right protection. That’s why getting vaccinated before you travel is an essential step in your holiday prep. It’s a preventative measure that makes for a safer, healthier trip, protected against serious illnesses.
Common travel vaccines for holidaymakers
Not every destination has vaccination requirements for travel, while some destinations require multiple vaccinations. To help you keep track of the basics, we’ve put together this list:
- Yellow Fever
- Yellow fever is common in tropical areas so it’s a vaccination requirement for trips to places like Thailand and Vietnam, among others.
- Hepatitis A and B
- Vaccination against hepatitis A is recommended if you’re travelling to countries with poor sanitation, while vaccination against hepatitis B is more likely to be recommended if you are planning activities that increase your risk of infection
- Typhoid
- Vaccination againsttyphoid fever is recommended if you’re travelling to a place where the condition is common, particularly if you’ll be staying somewhere that might have poor sanitation or food hygiene
- Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Polio (DTP)
- Vaccinations against these are recommended, rather than required, for many popular destinations such as Southeast Asia, India and South Africa. A combination vaccine that protects against all three is routinely given to children in the UK, so it’s a good idea to check whether you and your family are up to date with this before you travel
All these vaccinations are available at Superdrug Clinics, along with expert advice based on your travel destination, so you can be sure you’re getting the right combination of vaccines for your trip.
How to book your travel vaccines at Superdrug Clinics
It’s easy to book a travel vaccine appointment at Superdrug Clinics. Simply go in-store or use this online booking form . You’ll need to let us know whether you’re going to one or more destinations, and how many people you’re travelling with, and then you can choose an appointment location, time and date that work best for you.
Once you arrive, one of our professional healthcare practitioners will be able to give you personalised advice and vaccine recommendations based on your holiday destination. You’ll get your vaccinations on-site and leave with peace of mind and expert advice for your trip. We can even provide travel health advice and pre-travel consultations. We can’t guarantee good weather once you land though!
When should you get your travel vaccines?
Make sure you plan far enough in advance that you have plenty of time to get the vaccinations required for your travel. Most vaccines take a bit of time to work – they nudge your body into building up immunity against a specific disease and it can take several weeks for this immunity to reach a protective level.
The ideal time frame is generally 4–6 weeks before you travel, but this can vary from vaccine to vaccine and some might require more than one dose, weeks or months apart. So make sure you get professional advice and plan ahead!
Safety and side effects of travel vaccines
Like all medical products in the UK, travel vaccines undergo rigorous testing before being offered to the public. These tests ensure that they work as promised, and that they have a reliable safety profile.
It is possible to experience mild side effects after receiving these vaccinations. The most common is a sore or ‘heavy feeling’ arm around the spot where the injection was given. More serious side effects are possible but rare. If you have any questions or concerns about this the best thing to do is contact your healthcare provider.
Whether you’re planning a quick dash to the sun, or three months travelling across Asia, getting the right travel vaccines before you go is the key to safeguarding your health during holiday travels. A specialist at Superdrug Clinic can help you with this – we’ll ensure you’re covered for a smooth and safe trip, so you can focus on what to pack!
Book your travel vaccines at Superdrug Clinics today to ensure a safe and healthy holiday.
How it works
1 Book an appointment
Book online or call our booking line. Our lines are open every day!
2 Attend Consultation
During your appointment, the nurse or pharmacist will assess which vaccines or medications you need.
3 Get your treatment
Once our health advisor has assessed your needs, you'll receive your vaccinations & treatments straight away.