Travel vaccinations, or travel immunizations, are injections travelers take to protect themselves against contracting illnesses while traveling. 

It is always good to make sure you are up to date with your routine vaccinations. Routine vaccinations include Hepatitis B, Influenza, Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR), Pneumococcal, Polio and Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertusis (DTaP, Td, Tdap). 

Recommended vaccinations can protect you in areas where there is an immediate or high risk for contracting certain illnesses. 

Some countries require you to take certain required vaccinations, such as yellow fever vaccine, before you are allowed to enter the country. 

Listed below are the recommended and required travel vaccinations, grouped by regions. 

Travel Vaccination for Australasia & Pacific

Australasia & Pacific comprises Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and neighboring islands of the Pacific.

If you are traveling to any of these places, you are advised to get Hepatitis A, Typhoid Fever, Japanese Encephalitis and Rabies vaccinations on top of the routine vaccinations. 

Travel Vaccinations for Asia

Asia constitutes 48 countries, making it the largest and most populous continent on Earth. 

If you are traveling to Asia, you are recommended to have Hepatitis A, Typhoid Fever, Japanese Encephalitis and Rabies vaccinations on top of your routine vaccinations. 

If you are traveling to Saudi Arabia as a pilgrim for the Hajj, you are required to give proof of vaccination with a 4-valent meningococcal vaccine. There are currently 5 meningococcal vaccines in the market now: Menactra, Menveo, Menomune, Mencevax and Nimenrix. You can find out more about the different meningococcal vaccines here. 

If you are traveling to other Middle East countries, you do not need meningococcal vaccine but you are encouraged to get Hepatitis A, Typhoid Fever and Rabies vaccinations. 

Some countries in Africa requires proof of yellow fever vaccination (International Certificate of Vaccination). 

You are also encouraged to be vaccinated against Hepatitis A, Meningococcal Disease, Typhoid Fever and Rabies for travels in Africa. 

The recommended vaccinations for traveling in Europe are Hepatitis A, Typhoid Fever, Rabies and Tick-Borne Encephalitis.

There are no recommended or required vaccinations for travels to North America. Just make sure you are up-to-date on your routine vaccinations and you are good to go. 

Some countries in South America, Trinidad and Tobago may require proof of vaccination against yellow fever (International Certificate of Vaccination) before you will be allowed to enter their country. 

The other recommended vaccinations for travel in Mexico, Caribbean, Central and South America are Hepatitis A, Typhoid Fever and Rabies. 

I hope this post will give you a general guide on what travel vaccinations you need. 

If you have any travel-related questions, please comment below. ”