Travelling abroad and vaccinations

Before you travel abroad, you should check whether you need vaccinations for the countries you plan to visit. Vaccines should be considered if you travel to areas outside of Western Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Health risks vary from country to country, so seek advice from your family doctor (GP), Health Service Executive (HSE), pharmacies offering travel vaccination services, travel health clinic or travel agent before you travel.

Start the vaccination process well before you plan to travel. Some vaccinations take time to become effective so give yourself at least 8 weeks to protect yourself fully. An early start to the process is particularly important if you plan to travel with children. The BCG vaccination against tuberculosis (TB), for example, should be given at least 3 months before your child travels.

Certain vaccinations are compulsory. In these cases, you must show an International Certificate of Vaccination (record of your vaccines) to gain access to the country.

Other vaccinations are recommended, and the decision is left to your own discretion. However, it makes sense to do everything you can to protect against illness and disease while you are away.

You will not need vaccinations to visit any European country unless you have visited a non-European country shortly beforehand.

Before you travel, check with your GP, pharmacies offering travel vaccination services, or a travel health clinic.

You can find out which vaccinations are necessary or recommended for the areas you'll be visiting by visiting these websites:

• The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides country-specific travel advice for countries you plan to visit.
• The HSE has information on travel-associated infectious such as, yellow fever, typhoid,
  or Hepatitis A
• The National Health Service (NHS) Fit for Travel
• The World Health Organisation (WHO)

Some countries need proof of vaccination (for example, yellow fever vaccination), which must be documented on an International Vaccination Certificate.

This is a yellow card that records compulsory vaccines. Make sure to check before you travel. You should get this card when you get vaccinated. Make sure that you record your vaccinations on an International Vaccination Certificate.

Travel vaccinations are not free in Ireland through the public health system - even if you hold a medical card. You will have to pay the full cost of vaccinations. A charge will usually be made for your visit to the doctor and you will have to pay for each vaccine or set of tablets prescribed.

There are other things to consider when planning your travel vaccinations, including:

• Your age and health. You may be more vulnerable to infection than others. Some vaccines may not be suitable if you have certain medical conditions.
• Your reason for travel. If you work as an aid worker or in a medical setting, you may be more exposed to diseases and need additional vaccinations.
• Contact with animals, like monkeys, can increase your risk of rabies.
• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you have any immune deficiencies, talk with your GP.

If you feel ill following your return to Ireland, make sure that you see a doctor as soon as possible. Give full details of the countries you visited if this is relevant.

Notifiable infectious diseases

By law in Ireland, infectious diseases must be reported to the national Health Protection Surveillance Centre. As soon as a medical practitioner in Ireland becomes aware of or suspects that a person they are attending is suffering from or is the carrier of an infectious disease, they are required to notify a Medical Officer of Health. This is necessary to control infectious diseases. Ireland's Health Protection Surveillance Centre works in partnership with health service providers and organisations in other countries to ensure that up-to-date information is available to contribute to effectively control infectious diseases.

You can get more information from the HSE website or contact your GP or travel health clinic.