When you travel to certain destinations you might require vaccination against various diseases. In the UK, which is a very temperate climate, diseases tend to be less severe, certainly less deadly. As you get closer to the equator, and due to higher temperatures and greater biodiversity, diseases tend to be more contagious, and spread with increased rapidity.
As a precaution, then, depending on where you are travelling you might require travel vaccinations. These are jabs that you can have either on the NHS or at a specialist travel clinic.
The NHS offers various vaccinations free of charge, for example hepatitis a, diphtheria and polio. If you’re travelling to destinations where these diseases are common then you can go to your GP, who will be able to advise as to the best course of action.
Not all vaccinations for travel are free however. For instance, if you need a yellow fever vaccine then there may be a cost involved. With these vaccinations, you can get them done at a specialist travel clinic, who will also be able to offer you lots of advice about what vaccinations you need and how to get them.
Although you might have to pay for some vaccines, they are essential if you’re travelling to certain countries. As a native Brit, you might not have natural resistance to certain exotic diseases and so you’ll be more vulnerable to infection than the indigenous population.
