Why Travel Vaccinations Are Important

Editor’s Note: This editorial draws on more than 25 years of independent travel, first-hand experience and publicly documented evidence and regulatory changes. Many of these editorials were written years before the issues became mainstream, and have been updated to reflect current developments while remaining true to their original arguments.

Travel vaccinations are often not the most exciting part of planning a gap year or big trip, and are usually very far down the priority list when people would much rather worry about just getting their ticket and enjoy hopping around tropical islands. For many travellers, getting vaccinated is often something they would rather avoid altogether. I get it. I do. The cost can be off-putting, needles are nobody’s idea of a good time, and concerns about side effects can make people hesitate. Others simply aren’t convinced they need them, particularly after hearing from someone who travelled without any vaccinations and came home absolutely fine.

As a former nurse with a background in emergency and travel health, I understand that reluctance. After running my own online travel clinic for the better part of a decade I have had plenty of conversations with travellers weighing up those concerns. But to me, passing up appropriate vaccination can mean accepting an easily avoidable risk of potentially serious illness and, for some infections, passing that risk on to others. My view has always been that where a vaccine is clinically appropriate for you and the expected benefits outweigh the risks, getting vaccinated is generally a good idea.

That is how I approach my own travels too. I always take the easy option to reduce potential risk as much as possible when I can. To me it’s a no brainer. We put time, effort and money into preparing for an adventure and reducing the chances of things going wrong. It just makes sense to give our health the same consideration. For me, being prepared, not scared includes taking sensible precautions where I can, so I can get on with enjoying the trip.

Why Travel Vaccinations Are Important

One of the best things about travelling is experiencing somewhere completely different from home. Different food, different landscapes, different ways of life. Unfortunately, the infections you might encounter can be different too, and a big part of the risk of falling ill abroad is the fact that your body and your immune system simply haven’t been exposed to the bacteria, viruses or parasites found in that specific region. That doesn’t mean every tropical destination is a biological obstacle course or that you should spend your trip in a hazmat suit expecting some flesh-eating zombie lurgy. It simply means that the health risks can change along with your surroundings.

Vaccines help your immune system recognise and respond to particular infections. Depending on the vaccine, that protection can reduce your chances of becoming ill or developing severe disease. That matters because some vaccine-preventable infections can have consequences far beyond a few miserable days in a hostel bed, including hospital treatment, lasting health problems or, in some cases, death.

I’m not saying that to be overly dramatic or try and scare you. I’m genuinely not. In many cases, the chance of becoming that seriously ill is low, but the consequences can be severe if you are unlucky, and if you can take simple, easy steps to reduce that risk even more, why wouldn’t you take them?

I know, for example, that my risk of rabies when travelling is generally low in most countries. But I have volunteered with animals in the past and, more importantly, I also know my propensity to hug every stray dog and cat I find along the way, so I made sure I got the rabies vaccine, because I always travel on a fairly well-established ‘just in case’ policy.

After more than 25 years of independent travel to over 150 countries, I’m comfortable accepting plenty of uncertainty. But where a vaccination offers worthwhile protection for my circumstances, I generally prefer to have it, just in case.

I have my Japanese encephalitis vaccination for the exact same reason. The risk for most travellers, including myself, is very low, but I would be pissed if the worst happened and the reaper said ‘I told you so’ for something that was so easily done.

Now, that doesn’t mean everyone should or will make the same choices. That would depend on their own circumstances. But getting appropriate protection before you leave is one practical way to reduce the risk, alongside everyday precautions such as avoiding mosquito bites and taking care with food and water.

That means you can put the precautions in place and then get on with the job of simply enjoying yourself. That’s the whole point. These risks need consideration, but they shouldn’t be overshadowing your entire gap year. You should be able to assess the risk, take reasonable, sensible precautions and then enjoy island hopping, temple exploring and the odd hostel bar crawl!

The Right Protection For Your Trip

Of course, being in favour of travel vaccinations doesn’t mean I think everyone should get every vaccine available before boarding a plane. The point is to get protection that makes sense for you and the trip you are taking, and sometimes that does mean not getting a particular vaccination.

Your specific travel plans, existing protection, medical history and personal circumstances all shape that decision, which is why an individual consultation is so important. It can help establish which vaccines offer a worthwhile benefit, which aren’t needed and which may be unsuitable.

Where a vaccine is suitable for you and offers a worthwhile benefit, though, I think getting that extra layer of protection makes sense. You have an opportunity to reduce a potential risk to your health before you even leave home, and that is a sensible part of preparing for any adventure.

Making Vaccinations Part Of Your Travel Budget

To be fair, there are a lot of other considerations that go into the decision to get vaccinated or not, and not all of them are unreasonable. There are just as many times where advising against getting a vaccine is just as sensible as advising people to get one. The cost of travel vaccinations for example can be a definite concern, especially when you’re already trying to stretch your savings across flights, insurance, accommodation and everything else. And to be honest, that is understandable. I’ve spoken to plenty of travellers about those costs, and I know that finding extra money isn’t always easy. And where the risk is very low and the expected benefit of a particular vaccine is very small, it makes sense that the price becomes a bigger part of the decision..

There’s no shame in being honest about what you can afford. Tell your travel nurse or doctor if cost is a concern so you can discuss the recommendations, the likely benefit for your circumstances and the options available. You should feel able to ask what each vaccination costs and why it is being suggested.

Personally, I treat recommended vaccinations as an essential travel expense alongside insurance. I factor them into saving for the trip, just as I do the airline ticket. If I’ve decided that a vaccination offers worthwhile protection for my plans, its cost becomes part of what I need to put aside before leaving. But I understand that for others, focusing on some that are high risk and affordable, but not getting others that are low risk and may cost hundreds of pounds is another consideration entirely.

Some travel vaccinations are available free through the NHS, while others need to be paid for privately. Checking with your GP surgery and discussing costs early gives you time to understand what you need and budget accordingly. It also means you can make those decisions without the added pressure of a departure date looming over you.

Your Health, Your Choice

At the end of the day, whether to get a vaccine or not is entirely your decision. Ultimately, this is your body and your health, and your right to choose, alongside the fundamental medical ethics of informed consent and bodily autonomy, should be absolute. I will defend that just as strongly as I will recommend a vaccination I believe could protect you.

You deserve clear, honest information, space to ask whatever questions you need and the freedom to decide without pressure, guilt or judgement. Informed consent means your agreement is freely given. You can say yes, you can say no, and you can change your mind. You do not owe anyone an explanation or agreement simply because they are a healthcare professional or because they think they know what is best for you.

As a nurse, I can strongly recommend vaccination where the evidence and someone’s circumstances support it. I can explain my reasoning, answer questions and challenge inaccurate information. But none of that gives me the right to make the decision for someone else or treat them with less respect because they choose differently.

Having questions doesn’t make you difficult. Being worried about side effects, weighing up costs or wanting a clearer explanation doesn’t make you irresponsible. Whether you accept a vaccination, decline it or need more information before deciding, you deserve to be listened to without judgement. Whatever you do, just make sure you see a qualified travel health specialist and do so with all the available facts.

My hope is that this has helped explain why I consider travel vaccinations worthwhile and given you something useful to take into your own consultation. Whatever you decide, I hope you feel informed, comfortable asking questions and excited about the journey ahead. Look after yourself and have a brilliant time.

Remember, this is general travel health advice, not a substitute for a personal consultation with your GP, specialist nurse or another qualified travel health professional.