Vaccinations...

I had to think long and hard about which travel vaccinations, if any, to get. The NHS will provide you with the absolute basics these being; Diphtheria, Polio & Tetanus (Combined Injection); Typhoid; Hepatitis A and Cholera. All the others, if you want them, are your own responsibility and can cost quite a lot. I shopped about and found that, certainly in Glasgow, Superdrug were the same price as the private travel clinics, sometimes cheaper, and then you know you’re using a reputable company.

Superdrug’s Costs

Yellow Fever £58
Japanese Encephalitis (£89 x 2) £178
Meningitis £70
Rabies (£55 x 3) £165
Hepatitis B (£40 x 3) £120

There is a really good website which gives you good advice on what vaccines are recommended for which countries. http://www.nathnac.org/ds/map_world.aspx

I eventually weighed up the costs and the risks, especially being Diabetic, and decided on Yellow Fever, Rabies and Hepatitis B over and above the NHS vaccines.

Finally, a few things to note:
• You may NEED to get Yellow Fever depending on what countries you’re visiting as some countries won’t let you in without seeing the certificate you’re given when you get the vaccine.
• Hep A, Hep B and Rabies need to be given over the course of 6 months if you want the full immunisation so bare this in mind when thinking about when you should start getting your jags.