Many diseases that are now rare or even non-existent in your local area can be widespread in faraway countries. Therefore, there are travel vaccinations to protect against dangerous infectious diseases. Which vaccinations are to be carried out in a specific case should be clarified about 4 to 8 weeks before departure. This gives the body enough time to process the active substance and build up immunity.
Important in vaccination prevention is not only the country of travel, but also other factors:
The specific health risks to be observed in the destination country can be found in the respective country information provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Travel vaccinations are generally divided into three categories:
Which vaccinations are specifically recommended for adults before traveling abroad also depends on special risk situations, any underlying diseases, existing long-term medication and the individual vaccination history.
Vaccinations that are carried out in the context of an international trip must be entered in an international vaccination certificate. This serves as a personal overview of vaccinations already received, as information for the doctor and as documentation for international travel. An international vaccination certificate is made available to the Austrian population by the "Federal Ministry for Health and Women" and can also be requested there by means of a form.
If a country wants to protect itself against the introduction or spread of a disease, a corresponding vaccination is required as a condition of the travel permit. This is rarely the case, but it does happen. Two mandatory vaccinations are the yellow fever vaccination and the meningococcal meningitis vaccination for Saudi Arabia.
All costs for vaccinations required as part of a private trip are borne by the traveler. If the trip is a business trip, the employer is obliged to bear the costs for any vaccinations.
Generally recommended vaccinations:
Special travel vaccinations:
A vaccination program has almost completely eradicated polio worldwide. Europe was declared polio-free by the WHO in 2002. However, this does not apply without restriction to Asian countries. Since polio is very contagious, a booster vaccination is recommended before traveling to these countries.
There is only a very limited risk of malaria, which is also regional and seasonal. You should therefore check with your doctor before you travel. Nevertheless, you should conscientiously protect yourself from insect bites. It is also recommended to take emergency self-medication in case of fever above 38 degrees after more than one week in a malaria area.
If you are planning a trip to Australia or Oceania, you should consider the following vaccination and prophylaxis recommendations:
Generally recommended vaccinations:
Special travel vaccinations:
A regionally different malaria risk exists only in the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. In addition to adequate protection against insect bites, permanent malaria prophylaxis and emergency medication in case of fever above 38 degrees are recommended.
The following vaccinations and prophylactics are recommended for travel to Africa:
Generally recommended vaccinations:
Special travel vaccinations:
Although malaria and polio only occur regionally, there should still be adequate protection because of the high risk of infection. It is best to ask your doctor about this.
In addition to an upright and sufficient vaccination supply, some other general tips should be followed when traveling abroad. These include food hygiene, insect protection and information on sexually transmitted diseases.
A first-aid kit (at least a small one) should be taken on every trip. This should contain:
An antibiotic only needs to be packed if the destination is far from any medical care. The carrying of sterile disposable cutlery - i.e. syringes and needles - should be treated with caution. At border controls, especially in countries that have drug problems, carrying such disposable equipment in your luggage can result in an intensive and unpleasant inspection. Moreover, such medical equipment is also necessary only if the traveler goes to an area that is extremely poorly served medically.
