Are you about to venture into the tropical rainforests of Indonesia? About set off on your spiritual journey to Mecca for Hajj and Umrah? Going on a business trip to a more exotic country? Wherever you are going abroad, the Kings Pharmacies Travel Clinic in Birmingham will make sure you’re travelling safe and protected.

In this informative article, we’re going to explain more about why travel medicines and vaccinations are important, how they work and what you can do to get protected. Travel health is a very broad topic so we can’t cover everything here, but if you have any questions or queries in the realm of travel health, then all you need to do is give us a call on +44121 433 3072 and our trained pharmacists will be happy to assist you.

Why are travel vaccines important to have?

When you travel abroad, you may be exposed to viruses and bacteria that your body does not have protection (immunity) against. This may lead to infection and disease, for example, Cholera or Yellow Fever which will, of course, make you sick. By having a vaccination, or a number of vaccinations before you travel, you will develop immunity against them.

This is really important because some of these diseases are often very serious and in some cases, can lead to death.

How do travel vaccines work?

There are many varieties of travel vaccine that protect you against a number of diseases but they all work in a similar fashion. Effectively, you’re injected with a solution which will stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies (white blood cells). These are designed to fight off a specific infection. Therefore, if you’re ever exposed to the bacteria or virus, then you defense system will kill it before any harm can be done. *

Ideally, you should get vaccinated at least 3 weeks (sometimes more for others such as the Rabies vaccine) before you travel to ensure that your body has time to produce all the antibodies needed for maximum protection.

How long do travel vaccines last for?

It depends. Some vaccines last for a couple of years and some last your entire life. This article from the Tropical Medical Bureau gives you a full detailed guide to this question and what vaccine you may be researching.

What travel vaccines do I need for my trip?

You’ll need different vaccines for different areas of the world, depending on where you’re staying and what you’re doing there. The NHS Fit For Travel website is an excellent resource you can use to help break down what vaccinations and antimalarials you’ll need for each country. However, when going to get your vaccines done, always double-check with a healthcare professional that these are what you need. Our pharmacists do this anyway but it’s always good practice.

Malaria prevention

Malaria is a very serious and occasionally fatal disease transmitted primarily by mosquitos which suck the blood from human beings. There are four kinds of malaria parasite that affect humans and their prevalence differs in different parts of our globe. Because of this, there is a variety of antimalarial medication you can get from pharmacies.

Malaria is just one of the diseases that can be carried by mosquitoes but there are others. Watch this short but informative video by Valneva that talks about travel health diseases:

The Kings Pharmacies Birmingham Travel Clinic

Our pharmacists at both our Kings Pharmacies branches (Weoley Castle and Cotteridge) are fully trained to administer travel vaccinations and prescribe antimalarial medication. We also give you thorough health advice and up to date information for your travels so that you’re fully aware of the risks involved.

We partnered with PharmaDoctor to provide this service for you and you can begin your consultation online with us right away if you like. To begin, please click the following link:

Begin online travel health consultation

Our branch address and numbers are as follows so please do not hesitate to give us a call or simply walk in and talk to us.

Castle Chemist

Travel Clinic

 104 Weoley Castle Square,

Weoley Castle

B29 5PT

Kings Pharmacy

Travel Clinic

1-3 Pershore Road,

South Cotteridge

B30 3EE

We wish you the safest and best travels 

THE KINGS PHARMACIES AND OPTICIANS TEAM

* Please note that vaccines are not 100% effective at preventing disease (more like 90% effective). Therefore, disease prevention best practice is advised at all times. Please have a look at this article for best practice methods and consult your pharmacist for more information if required.