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What vaccinations do I need before vacationing abroad?
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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To prevent infectious diseases before traveling abroad, you should take care of your health and get vaccinated.
Those who plan to spend their vacation in hot countries, at sea (in Egypt, Turkey, Ukraine, Thailand, India), it is advisable to get vaccinated against viral hepatitis A 2-4 weeks before departure. The infection spreads easily, it is enough for several viral particles to enter the body. You can become infected from contaminated food products, household items.
If you are planning to visit France, Spain, Germany, Great Britain, Romania, Italy in the near future, or are heading to Ukraine or Russia, you simply need to check with your local clinic to see if you have been vaccinated against measles. The fact is that since 2010, measles outbreaks have been registered in most European countries, Ukraine, and some regions of Russia. Most residents of our country are protected against this infection: they have been vaccinated or had measles when it was a mass disease. The largest number of unvaccinated people are among those aged 20-29. The measles vaccination (done twice) must be done 3-4 weeks before departure so that the body has time to develop protection.
Those who are going to Russia should also take care of vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis. This should be especially important for those who plan to live in tents in the forests of the Urals, the Far East, Karelia, Komi, and other regions. The disease is transmitted by ticks and affects the central nervous system. To form a full protection, it is necessary to get 2 vaccinations with a minimum interval of 1 month. Travel to areas with a high risk of tick-borne encephalitis is recommended no earlier than 3-4 weeks after the second vaccination.
The countries of Africa and Latin America are dangerous because of yellow fever, the World Health Organization reports. The infection is transmitted by mosquitoes and is characterized by high body temperature, severe general condition, bleeding in the mouth, stomach and intestines, liver and kidney damage, and jaundice. The most effective means of protection against yellow fever remains vaccination, after which immunity lasts for 10 years. The vaccination must be done 10 days before departure.