When planning international travel (excluding Canada and western Europe), you should also consider vaccinations to help protect your health.

  

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention divides vaccines for travel into three categories: routine, recommended, and required. In addition, each traveler's vaccinations must be personalized according to their health and immunization history, the countries to be visited, the type and duration of travel and the amount of time available before departure.

   

Most vaccines take time to become effective in your body and some vaccines must be given in a series over a period of days or sometimes weeks. It is generally recommended that travelers be vaccinated at least six weeks before a trip.

 

If it is less than six weeks before you leave, you should still speak with your physician or immunization specialist. You might still benefit from shots or medications, as well as other information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.

 

Foxhall Internists Immunization Clinic specializes in travel vaccines and keeps up to date on CDC's guidelines. If you have questions about travel vaccines or wish to schedule an appointment, please contact the clinic at (202) 362-4467.