How far ahead do I need to book travel jabs?
Thanks to the UK’s childhood vaccination programme, it’s likely you’ll only need a booster for some travel jabs and some of these can be taken right up to the time of travel. But the general recommendation is to visit your GP or travel clinic 8 weeks beforehand in case you do need a full course of injections and to allow time for immunity to develop. Vaccines can take several weeks to become effective as they trigger the immune system to produce antibodies – see below for an idea of how far ahead to plan. Spreading out injections over time will also spread the expense, as some travel jabs incur a charge. The yellow fever vaccination costs around £45, for example, while malaria tablets are expensive and can add up on longer trips.
