Overview
It's the Tuesday before a long-awaited two-week trip to Thailand. You've packed factor-50, your adapter plug, and three new pairs of swim shorts. Then a friend at work casually asks, "Have you had your jabs?" You hadn't really thought about it. You ring your GP, only to be told the next travel appointment is in three weeks. You google frantically and discover that some travel vaccines, like rabies, need a course of three injections, and that hepatitis A really should have been given two weeks before you fly. Your dream holiday suddenly has a knot of stress wrapped around it.
Sound familiar? At Allied Pharmacies travel clinics, we see this every week. The good news: with a little forward planning — and a quick look at the official NHS Fit for Travel destination guide — our pharmacists can get you covered, calm and ready to fly. This guide walks you through exactly what to do, when to do it, and how Allied Pharmacies can help.
When you travel outside the UK, you can be exposed to infections that simply don't exist here, or that are very rare. The NHS travel immunisation schedule protects you against many diseases at home, but it doesn't cover everything you might encounter abroad. Diseases like yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis A, rabies and Japanese encephalitis can be serious or even life-threatening, and most are entirely preventable with the right vaccination.
Travel vaccinations work in two ways. They protect you as an individual from getting ill on holiday or while working abroad, and they protect public health more broadly by reducing the risk of imported infections. The UK Health Security Agency publishes regular guidance on travel-related disease risk.
The single most important rule with travel jabs is: book early. NHS guidance recommends seeing a clinician at least 6 to 8 weeks before you travel. Some vaccines, including rabies and Japanese encephalitis, are given as multi-dose courses over several weeks. Others, like yellow fever, take around 10 days to provide protection and require an official certificate. Cholera vaccine doses are spaced 1 to 6 weeks apart, with the final dose at least a week before you go.
If you're already inside the 6-week window, don't panic — many vaccines can still be given closer to travel and provide good protection. Your Allied pharmacist will work out an accelerated schedule where one is clinically appropriate. Always check the latest FCDO foreign travel advice before you go.
A common question we get is: "Why am I paying for some vaccines when others are free?" Here's how it works. Some travel vaccinations are available on the NHS because they protect against diseases considered the greatest public health risk if brought back to the UK. Others must be paid for privately.
| Available free on the NHS | Private travel vaccinations (you pay) |
|---|---|
| Polio (combined Td/IPV) | Yellow fever |
| Typhoid | Hepatitis B |
| Hepatitis A | Rabies |
| Cholera | Japanese encephalitis |
| Tick-borne encephalitis | |
| Meningitis (MenACWY) for travel | |
| BCG (TB) for travel |
This list is taken directly from current NHS guidance. At Allied Pharmacies, we can deliver both NHS and private travel vaccinations in the same consultation, so you don't need to bounce between your GP and a separate clinic.
Yellow fever is found in parts of tropical Africa, Central and South America. A single dose typically gives lifelong protection, and you'll receive an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) which is valid for life. Many countries require this certificate before they let you in (see the Travel Health Pro yellow fever factsheet). Yellow fever vaccinations can only be given at designated centres — and our larger Allied travel clinics are registered. Book at least 10 days before travel.
Hepatitis A is recommended for travel to areas with poor sanitation, including parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Central and South America. The first dose ideally goes in 2 weeks before you travel; a booster 6 to 12 months later gives you 25 years of protection. Combined hepatitis A and B, or hepatitis A and typhoid jabs, are also available.
Typhoid is recommended for travel to South Asia, parts of Africa and Latin America, especially if staying with local people or eating local street food. Available as a single injection or a 3-capsule oral course taken on alternate days. Boosters are recommended every 3 years if you continue to travel.
Hepatitis B is recommended for longer trips, working in healthcare or aid settings, or any activity where contact with blood or body fluids is more likely. Usually given as a 3-injection course over a few weeks to 6 months. We can advise on the best schedule for your trip.
Rabies is found in many parts of the world (see GOV.UK rabies risks by country). The pre-travel course is 3 injections over 28 days. Crucially, even if you've been vaccinated, you must seek medical help quickly if bitten or scratched abroad. Pre-travel rabies vaccination buys you time and access to simpler post-exposure care. Especially important for backpackers, animal workers and anyone going off the beaten track.
Japanese encephalitis is found across Asia and the western Pacific. Recommended for stays of a month or more, especially during the rainy season or in rural rice-field areas. Two injections, the second 28 days after the first; ideally completed a week before you go.
Cholera isn't routinely needed for most travellers but recommended for aid workers and those with limited access to clean water. Given as an oral drink in 2 doses, 1 to 6 weeks apart. Available free on the NHS.
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is for travellers hiking, camping or living in forested parts of central, eastern and northern Europe (and some of Asia). A 3-dose course gives multi-year protection. Booster every 3 years where ongoing risk applies.
The MenACWY meningitis vaccine is required for anyone travelling to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages, and recommended for parts of the African meningitis belt. A single injection given 2 to 3 weeks before travel.
Malaria is one of the biggest travel-health risks worldwide and there is currently no widely available adult travel vaccine in the UK. Prevention relies on antimalarial tablets and mosquito-bite avoidance — see the Travel Health Pro malaria prevention factsheet. Our pharmacists can supply private prescriptions for antimalarials such as Malarone, doxycycline and mefloquine after a consultation, and provide bite-prevention advice.
If you're pregnant, planning to be, or breastfeeding, please tell us at booking. Some vaccines need a careful risk-benefit conversation, and a few are best avoided unless travel is essential. See the NHS guide on vaccinations in pregnancy — we may recommend you speak to your GP first.
Most travel vaccines are licensed from age 1 (some earlier). Children may need fewer doses than adults for certain courses, and dose schedules vary. For older travellers (especially 65+) we'll check your routine NHS vaccinations are up to date — flu, pneumococcal, shingles and RSV — alongside any travel jabs.
If you have HIV, are on chemotherapy or biologics, or have had an organ or bone marrow transplant, some live vaccines (like yellow fever) may not be safe. We'll discuss alternatives, including officially recognised medical waiver letters where appropriate (see Travel Health Pro yellow fever pre-vaccination checklist). Always speak to your pharmacist or GP if you're unsure — that's exactly what we're trained to do.
Booking a travel appointment at an Allied Pharmacies travel clinic is designed to be simple and stress-free. Here's the typical journey:
You complete a short pre-consultation form online when you book online, telling us where you're going, when you fly, your accommodation and activities, and your medical history. The pharmacist reviews your itinerary against current Travel Health Pro country guidance and the NHS travel vaccinations advice to build a personalised plan. At your appointment, we go through your travel plans, your medical history and any allergies, and agree which vaccines and antimalarials you need. Vaccinations are administered there and then in a private room. You leave with a record of every vaccine given, an ICVP if appropriate, and a clear plan for any follow-up doses.
A typical first appointment takes around 30 minutes. Follow-up visits for second or third doses are usually shorter.
Costs vary by vaccine, the number of doses you need, and your destination. We always price things transparently. At your initial consultation we will give you a written, itemised estimate before any vaccine is given, so you can budget for your trip with no surprises.
NHS-funded travel vaccines (such as the combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio booster, typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera) are always free of charge at our clinics — you do not need to pay for these. Private vaccines, such as yellow fever, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and hepatitis B, are charged at clear per-dose prices that we will confirm with you before booking.
To make travel health more affordable for families and groups, we also offer:
Not sure what your trip will cost? Book a free consultation with one of our travel-trained pharmacists. We will check your itinerary against the latest NHS Travel Health Pro country guidance and give you a personalised, no-obligation quote on the spot.
NHS guidance recommends seeing a clinician 6 to 8 weeks before you travel. Some courses, like rabies and Japanese encephalitis, are given over several weeks, so the earlier the better. If you're inside that window, book anyway — we can often arrange an accelerated schedule.
You need one if you're entering a country that requires proof of yellow fever vaccination. Some countries demand it from all incoming travellers, others only from people coming from areas where yellow fever is found. The Travel Health Pro country pages list the latest requirements. Allied designated centres can issue the official ICVP at the time of vaccination.
Yes — for those that are free on the NHS (typhoid, hepatitis A, cholera and combined polio/diphtheria/tetanus boosters). The remainder are offered as private travel vaccinations and we'll quote you transparently before any jab is given.
We can supply private prescription antimalarials including Malarone, doxycycline and mefloquine after a consultation, alongside personalised bite-prevention advice (see Travel Health Pro bite avoidance). Antimalarials need to be started before you fly and continued during and after your trip — your pharmacist will explain the exact schedule.
Yes — please bring a record of any previous vaccinations (especially childhood and earlier travel jabs), a list of current medicines and allergies, and your travel itinerary including all destinations and stopovers. Check the FCDO foreign travel advice for your destinations. The more we know, the more accurately we can advise.
Some can. The NHS provides certain travel vaccines free of charge (typically polio/diphtheria/tetanus boosters, typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera) because of their public health importance. Others — including yellow fever, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis and hepatitis B — are only available privately. Our pharmacists will check which jabs apply to your trip and tell you exactly which are NHS-funded and which are private before you commit.
Yes. The travel vaccines we offer are licensed by the MHRA and used routinely by NHS travel clinics. Like any medicine they can cause mild side effects such as a sore arm, tiredness or a mild fever for a day or two. Serious reactions are very rare. Our pharmacists will run through your full medical history at the consultation to make sure every vaccine is appropriate for you — and you can read more on the NHS vaccinations overview.
Tell us at booking. Some live vaccines (such as yellow fever and MMR) are usually avoided in pregnancy, and a few vaccines need extra care if you take immune-suppressing medication. We will follow current NHS vaccinations in pregnancy guidance and, where helpful, liaise with your GP before giving anything. You can also speak to one of our pharmacists first if you would like to talk it through.
Don't let last-minute panic ruin the holiday or work trip you've been planning for months. Book your travel vaccination consultation at your nearest Allied Pharmacies branch today. Whether it's yellow fever for South America, Hajj vaccines for Saudi Arabia, rabies for backpacking through Southeast Asia, or simply a hepatitis A booster before your beach holiday, we'll build a plan around your trip — clearly priced, properly timed and delivered by a pharmacist you can trust.
Before you book, you can also check the latest country-specific advice on NHS Fit for Travel or the NHS-affiliated Travel Health Pro site — both list the recommended vaccinations, malaria risk and current health alerts for every destination. Bring any notes with you and our pharmacist will turn it into a clear, personalised plan.
Find your nearest Allied Pharmacies travel clinic and lock in your appointment at least 6 to 8 weeks before you fly. If your trip is sooner than that, don't worry — contact us anyway and we'll do everything we can to get you protected in time.