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Visiting India from the UK? Our Guide to Travel Vaccinations
- Dr Ravi Gowda
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
Travel to India is enigmatic, fascinating, joyous, frustrating and also an absolute assault on the senses. There will never be a dull moment. So it’s not surprising that nearly 10 million tourist flocked to the country in 2024. Remember though, India is in the tropics and that puts you at risk of a number of travel related diseases like typhoid, travellers diarrhoea, hepatitis A, dengue and chikungunya. Therefore getting your vaccinations for India before you travel will be a key component in keeping you safe and healthy.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
Essential and recommended vaccines for UK travel to India
Of course, you don’t need to have any jabs for India if you don’t want to but we reckon getting a few might be a good idea. Some we feel are essential, while others are recommended depending on you, your itinerary and a careful risk assessment from an expert travel health clinic such as Health Klinix.
Diphtheria, tetanus and polio
Although polio has been pretty much eradicated in India and most parts of the world, Diphtheria and tetanus is still common in India. Diphtheria is spread by coughing and close contact with people. It’s a serious illness causing fever and a nasty sore throat. In some cases, it can be life threatening. Tetanus is a bacterium that lives in the soil and the environment and is spread through contaminated wounds.
If you’re travelling then you need to make sure you’ve had one in the last 10 years.
Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR vaccine)
There’s a lot of measles around in the UK and Europe at the moment. It’s an extremely contagious and serious infection. A child recently died in Liverpool, UK of measles. You’re also at high risk of measles in India, so make sure you’ve had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine as a child. Don’t just assume this as many haven’t had both the doses. This is an important vaccination for India.
Typhoid
Typhoid is serious bacterial infection. You might get infected by consuming contaminated food or water. Sepsis (an infection within the bloodstream) is usual and this can be deadly. But there is an effective typhoid vaccine, so make sure you get this from your GP or Travel Health Clinic. The typhoid vaccine doesn’t cover all the strains so you should exercise precaution in food and water hygiene even if you’ve been vaccinated.
Hepatitis A
You can get infected with this virus from contaminated food and water, and this can lead to hepatitis; an inflammation of your liver. It’s easily preventable with a very effective vaccine.
Cholera
This is another food and waterborne disease that’s endemic in India. Endemic, meaning that it’s persistent and present throughout the year. The number of cases is thought to be underestimated because of poor surveillance and under reporting. It can be taken as a drink and so it’s one less jab for India!
Other recommended vaccinations for India
Hepatitis B
This infection can also inflame your liver just like the hepatitis A virus but you usually catch it through contaminated medical instruments, blood transfusions, sharing personal items such as razor blades, tattoos, and sexual relationships.
Travellers visiting India for health tourism are particularly at risk. Most people with hepatitis B don’t have symptoms and unknowingly pass the infection onto others. I’ve personally known a patient who travelled to India for a kidney transplant and nearly died of liver failure after being infected with hepatitis B from the donor kidney.
But you don’t need to put yourself at risk as there’s a safe and very effective hepatitis B vaccine that’s now recommended for all babies in the UK as part of the NHS national immunisation schedule. If you’re reading this article, I shall safely assume you’re not a baby and therefore not eligible for it on the NHS but you can obtain it from private health clinics like ourselves.
Rabies
As most people know, you’re at risk if you’re visiting a country with rabies and get scratched by a dog or a cat (bats and monkeys pose a risk too).
For more information on the rabies vaccine take a look our recent article on rabies.
Dengue
This is a viral infection spread through the bite of the day time biting mosquitoes Aedes egypti and albopictus. It’s widespread throughout the tropics and common in India. There is a new dengue vaccine now available but the current guidelines suggest only offering to people who have had the dengue infection already. The UK licence however, states that anyone above the age of four is eligible.
If you’d like to know more about the dengue vaccine, book a consultation with Health Klinix.
Chikungunya
This little known viral infection is also spread by mosquitoes like the dengue virus. Although it’s endemic in the tropical regions like India, there have been local transmission of Chikungunya in Southern France and Italy. There’s a new chikungunya vaccine that has just been introduced. Ask us for more details.
Tuberculosis vaccination
Although we can offer you the BCG (TB) vaccination, we would only recommend it for longer stays in India (at least three months) or if you’re at special risk, for example, if you are a healthcare worker.
When to get vaccinated
Try to get the whole process started at least 4-6 weeks before your departure. This will give you ample time to complete travel vaccine schedules that might take a month. Rabies and Japanese encephalitis require two or three doses over a month, but if you’re pushed for time, come and chat to us as we can usually offer accelerated schedules over a shorter period of time.
Common travel vaccination schedules
Vaccine | Schedule | Additional information |
Typhoid | Single dose | |
Hepatitis A | 0, 6-12 months | |
Rabies | 0,7,28 days | Accelerated vaccine schedule available |
Yellow fever | Single dose | Lifelong vaccine |
Cholera | Single dose or 2 doses over 7 days | |
Japanese encephalitis | 0, 28 days | Accelerated vaccine schedule available |
Hepatitis B | 0,1 and 6 months | Accelerated vaccine schedule available |
Other health considerations for India
Remember, it’s not always a question of “What jabs for India do I need?” Think about the following:
Malaria in India
There are many infections spread by mosquitoes in India including malaria. Although it’s less common now, there are some areas of India where you might need malaria tablets like parts of Andra Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Assam (see map below)
Malaria Map of India:
Insect repellents
For most other places in India, you can protect yourself with strict bite avoidance like wearing long -sleeved clothing, sleeping under mosquito nets impregnated with a chemical called permethrin, and applying insect repellent. The repellent should contain 50% DEET, saltidin, picardin or the natural product, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE).
Traveller’s diarrhoea
There is a chance that you may end up with an upset stomach while travelling to India (there’s 50-70% chance in fact) so it’s vital that you reduce your risk by making sure you only consume food and water that’s deemed safe. Take a look at our expert article on, “Packing for a healthy trip: What to include in your travel kit” for more information.
Travel Insurance
Don’t forget travel insurance, especially in India.
A prolonged hospital stay in India can become very expensive. In addition, the government hospitals are not as well-resourced which means you’re likely to need private hospital care. So you’ll definitely need private travel insurance. Which? The consumer group offers impartial advice on choosing a travel insurance provider.
Where to get vaccinated
You might be able to get some of the travel vaccinations free of charge through your GP but make sure you book well in advance as they need plenty of notice. Expert, private travel vaccine clinics like Health Klinix can also offer all vaccinations including the specialist travel jabs like rabies, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, dengue and chikungunya.
Finally…
Getting the right vaccinations for India is essential for a safe and enjoyable trip. By taking the necessary precautions and staying up-to-date on your immunisations, you can enjoy your adventure with peace of mind.
References:
1.Visitors to India. Ministry of tourism. https://tourism.gov.in/
Written and Approved by:
Dr Ravi Gowda
Consultant in Infectious Diseases
MBBS, MRCP(UK), MRCGP, DTM&H, DCH, DRCOG, DFFP