The vaccines you need to get before traveling will depend on a few things, including:
* Where you plan to travel. Some countries require proof of vaccination for certain diseases, like yellow fever or polio. And traveling in developing countries and rural areas may bring you into contact with more diseases, which means you might need more vaccines before you visit.
* Your health. If you’re pregnant or have an ongoing illness or weakened immune system, you may need additional vaccines.
* The vaccinations you’ve already had. It’s important to be up to date on your routine vaccinations. While diseases like measles are rare in the United States, they are more common in other countries.
It’s important to get vaccinated at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. This will give the vaccines time to start working, so you’re protected while you’re traveling. It will also usually make sure there’s enough time for you to get vaccines that require more than 1 dose.
Here are some resources that may come in handy as you’re planning your trip:
* Visit CDC’s travel website to find out which vaccines you may need based on where you plan to travel, what you’ll be doing, and any health conditions you have.
* Download CDC’s TravWell app to get recommended vaccines, a checklist to help prepare for travel, and a personalized packing list. You can also use it to store travel documents and keep a record of your medicines and vaccinations.
* Read the current travel notices to learn about any new disease outbreaks in or vaccine recommendations for the areas where you plan to travel.
* Visit the State Department’s website to learn about vaccinations, insurance, and medical emergencies while traveling.
Some countries in South America and Africa require you to provide proof that you have been vaccinated against yellow fever by presenting an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis when entering the country. However, there are other popular travel destinations where the threat of infection with yellow fever virus is very real, and there is no requirement for you to be vaccinated to enter the country.
If you only get the yellow fever vaccine before going to countries that require it, you could be putting your health at risk. Since yellow fever disease can be serious or even fatal, CDC recommends that individuals be vaccinated when traveling to any areas where there is a risk of acquiring infection with yellow fever virus.
Even if you get the yellow fever vaccine, you can still get other diseases from mosquito bites, like malaria, dengue, and Zika. The best ways to prevent mosquito-borne diseases are to use insect repellent while outdoors, wear long pants and long sleeves, and choose accommodations with air conditioning or mosquito nets. For travel to areas where malaria is a risk, taking medicine that can prevent malaria may also be advised.
For most people, it takes up to 10 days after the vaccine is given to be protected against the yellow fever virus. If your destination requires a yellow fever vaccine, the proof of vaccination does not become valid until 10 days after the vaccine is given.
