Vaccines required for travel vary based on the country you’re visiting, so it’s important to meet with your health care provider before taking a trip. Because many vaccines take time to become effective, and some vaccines must be given in a series over a period of days or sometimes weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends scheduling this meeting four to six weeks before your date of departure.
When you meet with your health care provider, you’ll discuss both required and recommended vaccines. A required vaccine is used when a country’s government requires a traveler to present formal proof of immunization in order to enter the country. A recommended vaccine is a suggested vaccine that may protect you from illnesses present in other parts of the world. Recommended vaccines also help prevent the importation of infectious diseases across international borders.
Want to find out which vaccines you need for an upcoming trip? Visit the destinations page of the CDC’s Web site, and click on the country you plan to visit. You’ll get complete vaccine information, as well as travel notices and tips on ways to stay healthy while abroad. You can also call your local Medicine Shoppe® pharmacist to discuss the vaccines you may need to consider.
Already know which vaccines you need? Come in to your local Medicine Shoppe pharmacy and cross immunizations off your travel checklist. In addition to a 20-hour Immunization-certification course, our pharmacists have completed a 3-hour training course specific to travel vaccines, so we’re well prepared to handle any immunization you might require. Click here to find the location of a Medicine Shoppe pharmacy near you. Or learn more about our immunization services by returning to the Immunizations and Vaccines home page, or visiting the Specialized Care Center – Immunizations section of our site.
Information for this section of the site was pulled from the center for disease control and prevention web site. Please visit www.cdc.gov if you would like more information on shingles and the shingles vaccine.