What Vaccinations Should You Get?

Depending on where you’re going, vaccinations can be a very important part of your travel plans. At the same time, I want to caution you from getting every single vaccination that everyone says you should get. I’m not a doctor so I can’t tell you what to get and what not to get. However, in all my years of travel, I’ve noticed that the most popular vaccinations that many travellers get are:

• Hepatitis A and B
• Tetanus
• Typhoid
• Yellow Fever

When it comes to malaria, there are no vaccinations but there are pills that help fight the disease should you contract it. I have travelled to many malaria-infested countries but have always opted to not take the pills. This is because I am usually traveling for many months and malaria pills are very hard on the liver if taken long-term. Taking them will depend on where you are going, how serious the situation is in the country you’re visiting and how long you’re going for. It is best to do your research, speak to a doctor and make an educated decision. The best prevention of malaria is not getting bitten by mosquitoes, which means covering up your skin and wearing bug spray that contains DEET.

Before deciding what vaccinations you may need, it helps to do some research on the country and area you are planning to visit. It also depends on what vaccinations you had growing up.

Here are some sites to help:

National Travel Health Network

(www.nathnac.org/travel)

This national travel health network was created to protect the health of British travellers going abroad. However, it can be a great resource for anyone.

Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

(wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list)

This site was created to protect America from health, safety, and security threats. However, it’s a great resource for anyone. It has a great user interface for researching the common vaccinations that people get before visiting their country of choice.

 

WHERE TO GET TRAVEL VACCINATIONS

Depending on where you live in Canada, there are a number of places to get vaccines. Quite often, the most expensive place is the private travel clinics.

However, there are other places as well that you may not have thought of.

Health Clinic

Depending on the vaccines you need, you can usually consult your own doctor and/or visit a public health clinic in your area.

London Drugs

(http://www.londondrugs.com/ld-travel.html)

Not only does London Drugs provide travel vaccinations, they also offer one-on-one consultations if you’re not sure what vaccines you need. What makes London Drugs special is that they can directly bill most patients’ insurance plans so you have no out-of-pocket costs up front. Plus, you can get your passport photos, travel insurance and travel products in the same place.

***

This information, along with a plethora of other travel tips and strategies can be found in the bestselling book, Limitless Travel. It is available on the Kindle.

Do you have other recommendations for Canadians and travel vaccines? Share below and I’ll add them to the article!

***

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor by any stretch of the imagination. Above is just from my personal experience traveling the world. Please consult your own doctor and decide for yourself what vaccines you should get and where to get them.