IMMUNIZATIONS Here's an overview of the vaccines you may need before you leave for India. Keep in mind that the actual vaccinations you need will be determined by several factors that you and your health care provider should review together. These need to be started 4-6 weeks before travel so that they are effective. Please make sure you are up to date on the standard vaccines and booster shots that people in the U.S. should have. That includes immunizations for: • chickenpox • diphtheria • pertussis • polio You'll also possibly need a tetanus booster shot. It may also be important to make sure that your flu shot is current. Here are vaccines you may need for travel to India: Hepatitis A . This disease can be transmitted through food and water. The risk for Hepatitis A in India is high. So, immunization is highly recommended. • measles • mumps • rubella Hepatitis B. There is an intermediate risk for hepatitis B in India. Hepatitis B is a viral infection that can be transmitted by contact with blood and other bodily fluids. If you haven't been vaccinated for it already, you should get the vaccine before you go. Typhoid fever. Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness. It's caused by bacteria. You can get typhoid fever by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. It's recommended that anyone traveling in southern Asia, including India, be vaccinated against it. Japanese encephalitis. India is a high-risk area for this viral disease. It is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito. The disease is potentially fatal. Travelers to India are advised to get the vaccine before going. Rabies. Getting the rabies vaccine is especially important if we will be spending time outdoors, particularly in rural areas. Yellow fever. Yellow fever is transmitted by mosquito bite. It's not a major concern for people traveling in India. You may not need to get the vaccine before you go. But it's important to know that when you get to India you may be asked to show proof of yellow fever vaccination if you visited a country with risk of yellow fever before your arrival in India. Without that proof, you may be quarantined for up to six days when you first arrive. Yellow fever is mostly found in tropical and subtropical countries in Central America, South America, and Africa. For more information about medical preparation for travel to India, go to http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/india.
Made with FlippingBook Converter PDF to HTML5