Vaccines and advice before you travel
If you plan to travel or go on a pilgrimage, it is best to ask about vaccines and preventive medicines a few weeks ahead. This page explains what to check, what information to bring, and which symptoms to take seriously after you come back.
What is this advice?
Pre-travel advice means talking, before you go, to a doctor or travel health specialist, so that they can check what matters given your destination, length of trip, activities and health. The check covers vaccines, preventive medicines (for example tablets that are started before the trip for some diseases), and awareness of the risks at your destination.
This page is general and does not replace a doctor’s opinion. The doctor decides which vaccines are needed for your destination and situation. This page does not say whether this office gives vaccines.
Who should get advice?
The CDC and NHS both recommend speaking to a doctor or travel health specialist before travelling. This applies to all travellers, but matters more if:
- your destination needs a particular vaccine or preventive medicine (see the destination page)
- your trip is long. The CDC says long-stay travellers are more exposed to infection, sometimes without symptoms
- you have a weak immune system, are pregnant, have an underlying illness, or have had a severe allergy to a vaccine (NHS)
- you are going on a pilgrimage or religious event. Ask separately about the conditions and rules for each destination
How is it assessed?
The doctor usually asks about:
- the exact destination and route
- the length of the trip
- the type of stay and activities (for example mountain trekking, swimming, working in a hospital or on a farm)
- your vaccine history (bring your vaccination card)
- illnesses, medicines and allergies
- pregnancy or plans for pregnancy
The CDC advises telling the doctor about your risks and plans, and bringing your official vaccination record. From this information and the destination page, the doctor decides what is needed.
What do prevention and treatment generally look like?
- Bring routine vaccines up to date. The CDC and NHS stress that routine vaccines (such as measles) should be complete too.
- Destination-specific vaccines. The CDC mentions examples such as cholera, typhoid, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis and yellow fever. Yellow fever vaccine is given only at authorised centres.
- Preventive medicines. Some (such as malaria medicines) must be started before the trip.
- Several doses. Some vaccines need several doses, so act early.
- Certificates. Sometimes an international vaccination certificate is required. Keep the card after you are vaccinated.
- Minor side effects. The NHS says a small swelling at the injection site, a mild fever and headache are common and usually short-lived.
What can you do yourself?
- Book 4 to 6 weeks ahead.
- Have your information ready: destination, dates, activities, vaccination card, list of medicines.
- Look up your destination. The destination page at the CDC or TravelHealthPro (NHS) shows the risks and the usual vaccines.
- If you take medicines, bring them and tell the doctor.
- After the trip, if you become ill, say where you have been. The CDC lists useful details: destination and dates, activities, where you stayed, food and drink, contact with animals, wounds or insect bites, treatment you received while travelling, close contact with other people, tattoos or body piercings.
- If you received treatment or were admitted to hospital in another country, tell the doctor. The CDC says this matters for choosing treatment.
- If the cause of a fever after travel is not clear, the CDC says to ask for a referral to an infectious disease or travel medicine specialist.
When to seek urgent care
After a trip, call 115 (Iran’s emergency number) or go to the emergency department if a fever comes with any of these:
- confusion or slurred speech
- very fast or difficult breathing
- skin that is blue, pale or mottled
- a stiff neck, severe headache or sensitivity to light
- a rash or spots that do not fade when pressed
- severe shivering or a very high or very low temperature
If you have travelled to a country with a malaria risk and have a high temperature or feel hot, cold or shivery, contact a doctor or go to the emergency department the same day, and say where you have been. The NHS gives this advice for up to 12 months after the trip; symptoms usually appear 7 to 18 days after a bite but can take months.
Otherwise, still tell a doctor about a fever after travel, even if weeks have passed since you came back.
Every traveller’s plan is different. Ask your doctor about your own trip.
Frequently asked questions
How long before my trip should I act?
Both the CDC and NHS recommend getting advice at least 4 to 6 weeks before you leave. This is because some vaccines need several doses, and some need time for the body to build protection. If you have less time, still go; do not miss the chance.
Is one vaccine needed for every destination?
No. Vaccines depend on the country and even the region you are visiting, how long you will stay, what you will be doing (for example rural or city, contact with animals) and your health. You can look at the destination page at the CDC and TravelHealthPro from the NHS. If you are going on a religious journey, ask separately about the vaccine conditions and rules for that destination.
Should I have a vaccine if I have a cold or a fever?
The NHS says that if you are unwell, including having a fever, you should not have a travel vaccine and should wait until you are better. Tell the specialist about anything that might prevent a vaccine.
What if I have a weak immune system, am pregnant, or have an allergy?
Be sure to say so. The NHS says to tell the person giving the vaccine about your health, a weak immune system, pregnancy, and any severe earlier allergy to a vaccine or its ingredients, because some vaccines may not be suitable for you. Bring your medicines too.
I developed a fever after my trip. What should I do?
The CDC says that if you become ill after a trip, especially with a fever, you should contact a doctor and say where you have been. An infection can be picked up during travel and show up after you return.