By Katie Kirby, Pharmacy Resident and Jasmine Duarte, Pharmacy Resident

Around the World in Eighty Days was first published in French by author Jules Verne. In 1873, the English version was released.

All vaccine recommendations follow the CDC’s official travel guidelines. According to these guidelines, we recommend scheduling your travel-related care 4 to 6 weeks before departure.

This is the ideal timeframe to contact your pharmacist and begin preparations! The guidelines vary based on your destination, so it is important to have a thorough discussion about travel plans to ensure you receive all the required vaccinations.

Some vaccines are required for entry into certain countries, and others are strongly recommended based on local health risks. One important example is yellow fever, which is a viral illness spread by mosquitoes in parts of Africa and South America. If you're traveling to a country requiring this vaccine, you'll receive an International Certificate of Vaccination (ICVP), known as the “yellow card,” as official proof. Be sure to plan early, this vaccine must be administered at least 10 days before departure to be valid.

Typhoid is common in countries with poor sanitation and unsafe food or water. To help protect yourself, you can receive the typhoid vaccine at least 2 weeks before your trip and continue practicing safe eating and drinking habits while traveling. The vaccine is available in 2 forms. An oral option, which is a course of 4 pills taken every other day and suitable for anyone aged 6 and older, with a booster recommended every 5 years. Another option is a one-time injection, which requires a booster every 2 years as needed. 

Sub-Saharan Africa is known as the “meningitis belt” due to the higher risk of meningitis. It is recommended that anyone older than 2 months receive the meningitis vaccine, which should be administered 7 to 10 days before departure. Travelers older than 1 year who are going to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Umrah or Hajj pilgrimage must meet specific vaccination documentation requirements.

Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne virus found in parts of Asia that can cause brain swelling  and neurological problems. This vaccine is a 2-dose series spaced 28 days apart, with the second dose given at least 1 week before travel. This vaccine is generally recommended only for travelers at higher risk. During your travel consultation, we can help determine if it’s right for you.

Other vaccines may include, but are not limited to, the polio vaccine; measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine; rabies vaccine; hepatitis A and B vaccines; and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.

In addition to vaccines, safe food and water precautions are important. A first step is good hand hygiene; this includes using soap and water, especially after using the restroom and before handling food/eating. Hand sanitizer can be a useful tool if soap and water are unavailable, just keep in mind it should be at least 60% alcohol.

When it comes to food and drinks while traveling, here are some key tips: drink only bottled water or water boiled for at least one minute, avoid ice, popsicles, and flavored ices, eat only well-cooked foods still hot and steaming, avoid raw fruits and vegetables that cannot be peeled, avoid food/drinks from food vendors, and drink pasteurized milk from a sealed bottle.

If you are planning an international trip and are not sure if you may need vaccinations beforehand or know you do, contact your pharmacist at least a few months before your departure to schedule a travel consultation and get you started on your own journey around the world!