Are vaccines necessary before you travel?

You’ve bought your flight tickets, booked your accommodation and planned your itinerary, but did you check to see if you and your family might need to get vaccinated before you leave? — Positive Parenting

With the school holidays fast approaching, families may be making plans to travel abroad for a vacation.

An important, but often forgotten, part of travel preparations is the possible need to get protection against certain infectious diseases that are common in the country you are travelling to.

So, apart from Covid-19 vaccines, which vaccines should you take before travelling overseas?

Why get vaccinated?

The National Immunisation Programme (NIP) provides a comprehensive schedule of childhood vaccinations that protect against certain infectious diseases.

However, there may be gaps not covered by the immunisation schedule.

Some infectious diseases not included in the NIP may be endemic in other countries, or there may be an ongoing outbreak at the destination you’re heading to.

Some vaccines are also mandatory for entry into certain countries.

For example, Malaysians are advised to take the yellow fever vaccination before travelling to certain countries in Africa and South America.

The risks of foodborne diseases, such as typhoid and hepatitis A, are also higher in certain countries, so it’s better to get vaccinated against these diseases as well.

If you and your family are travelling to such places, it is recommended to get protected from local diseases by getting the relevant available vaccines.

Vaccination is one of the best ways to protect us from serious infectious diseases.

By getting vaccinated, you will spend less time getting sick and more time enjoying the trip with your family.

Who should be vaccinated?

Anyone travelling to destinations with a significant risk of infectious diseases should get vaccinated against those particular diseases.

This is especially important for the vulnerable population, such as children below five years of age, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases or a weakened immune system.

Additionally, eligible individuals should get both the Covid-19 and flu vaccines, regardless of their travel destination.

If you are pregnant, consult your doctor regarding vaccines that are suitable for you.

What to get vaccinated against?

This depends on your travel destination.

Here are some recommended travel vaccines:

> Meningococcal vaccine

If you’re travelling to countries in the African meningitis belt, such as Ethiopia, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso, where the prevalence of meningitis is very high, it is recommended to get this vaccine.

Saudi Arabia also requires people going on a haj or umrah pilgrimage to Mecca to get the meningococcal vaccine.

> Influenza vaccine

You can get this vaccine annually and all year round, but it is especially recommended when travelling anywhere during the flu season or when travelling to temperate regions during winter.

> Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine

While this vaccine is included in the NIP for children in Sarawak, those in the rest of the country do not get it.

Those who have not received it are advised to get the vaccine when travelling to countries where JE is endemic, such as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and other South-East Asian nations.

It’s also good to get the vaccine if you’re travelling from Peninsular Malaysia or Sabah to Sarawak.

> Yellow fever vaccine

Malaysians are advised to get the vaccine at least 10 days before travelling to 29 countries in Africa (including Cameroon, Kenya and Nigeria) and 13 countries in South America (including Argentina, Brazil and Colombia), where there is a high risk of yellow fever transmission.

Travellers coming from these countries without a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate will have to be quarantined upon arrival in Malaysia.

> Rabies vaccine

It is recommended for people with high-risk occupations (i.e. wildlife rangers, animal disease control staff and lab workers dealing with live rabies viruses).

Travellers who intend to spend a lot of time in nature or expatriates living in remote areas with a high rabies exposure risk should also get the vaccine.

The vaccine is also offered as post-exposure prophylaxis.

> Cholera, typhoid, hepatitis A or rotavirus vaccines

These vaccines protect against food- and waterborne diseases.

They are recommended when travelling to countries with poor sanitation to prevent infection from contaminated food or water.

When to get vaccinated?

Speak to your doctor six to eight weeks before your travel date to decide which vaccines to get, and to know how many doses are required and how early you need to get the shots.

It can take a few days to a few weeks for the vaccine to take effect and for your body to produce the appropriate antibodies.

Hence, most vaccines have to be given ahead of time to ensure full protection against the diseases during travel.

The flu vaccine is recommended annually as the common influenza viral strains change from year to year.

If you haven’t yet received the flu shot, then get it at least two weeks before your trip.

Where to be vaccinated?

You can get the recommended travel vaccines from private clinics and hospitals.

Some vaccines may also be available at government facilities.

Do note that some vaccines may only be available at certain healthcare facilities.

Check with your healthcare provider in advance, as some places may not have stock even if they provided the vaccines previously.

The Covid-19 pandemic has taught us how diseases can spread rapidly, and how preventive measures, including vaccinations, are crucial in containing any outbreak.

As cliché as it sounds, prevention is the better option compared to treatment.

Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail is a consultant paediatrician and paediatric cardiologist. This article is courtesy of the Malaysian Paediatric Association’s Positive Parenting programme in collaboration with expert partners. For further information, please email [e-mail]. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.