What Vaccinations Should Be Done When Traveling to Foreign Countries?

October 28, 2025

2 min read

Even during a pandemic, people are not ready to give up travel. Exotic destinations such as Brazil, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa are open for tourists. If you go to these countries—especially countries in Africa—you can face dangerous infections, and vaccinations can help protect you.

Key takeaways

Even during a pandemic, people are not ready to give up travel.

Who this is for

People exploring Bacterial and viral infections through viruses, travel.

Why it matters

This piece helps you get oriented quickly, then move into a collection or series if you want to keep going.

Article author

Dr. Helene

General practitioner

If your parents were not opposed to vaccination, and you did not have any health problems in childhood, then you already have a basic set of vaccinations, which includes hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, and polio vaccinations. When traveling to foreign countries, you should also get vaccinations for the following diseases:

Hepatitis A—The main routes of infection include food, household contacts, and water. The virus is transmitted through many things including dirty hands and dishes.

Hepatitis A does not cause permanent damage to the liver; the immune system produces antibodies that form permanent immunity. Children can be vaccinated starting at one year old, and there are no age restrictions for adults. The standard vaccination includes two vaccinations 6–18 months apart.

Get vaccinated before a trip to

Africa: all countries;
Asia: all countries except Israel;
North America: North Canada, Greenland, Alaska;
Latin America: all countries;
Oceania: all islands except New Zealand.

Typhoid fever is an acute infection that affects the intestinal lymphatic system, accompanied by general intoxication of the body. The route of infection is through food. Vaccination is done through a single injection of typhoid vaccine liquid.

Get vaccinated before a trip to:

Africa: all countries;
Asia: all countries except Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Japan. Highly recommended before visiting India;
Latin America: Honduras, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, El Salvador, Chile, Ecuador;
Oceania: all islands except New Zealand.

Rabies is an infection caused by animal bites from a dog, cat, fox, monkey, bat, etc. Vaccination must be carried out a month before the trip so that the body develops immunity.

Get vaccinated before a trip to

Asia: all countries except Japan and island states. Especially recommended before visiting Vietnam, India, China, Thailand;
Latin America: all countries.

Yellow fever is a serious illness transmitted by mosquito bites. The mortality rate is almost 60 percent. It is necessary to vaccinate both children and adults traveling to an exotic country. Immunity for 10 years will take effect in 10 days. Then revaccination is necessary.

There are a number of countries that require a yellow fever vaccination certificate for visitors to enter. The list includes:

Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Gabon, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Togo, Central African Republic.
Latin America: French Guiana.

You might also want to consider getting vaccinated before a trip to:

Africa: all countries.
Asia: India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand.
Latin America: Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Ecuador.

Continue reading

Bacterial and viral infections#cold

How To Handle a Cold: 6 Tips From a General Practitioner

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we seem to have forgotten that there are other, albeit less dangerous, unpleasant viruses in the world. They are especially active during the transitional seasons—autumn and spring. Why do we catch colds so often during this period, and how do we recover as quickly as possible?

Dr. AndrewOct 28, 2025

Bacterial and viral infections#HPV

Is the HPV Vaccine Worth It?

Everyone has encountered the human papillomavirus (HPV) in one way or another. Thanks to today’s vaccines, it is possible to avoid the unpleasant consequences of this infection. In this article we will explain who needs to be vaccinated, when they should be vaccinated, and which vaccine to choose.

Dr. MaryOct 28, 2025

Respiratory system#cough

Bronchitis – 6 Major Mistakes Patients Make

Almost everyone has experienced bronchitis. For some, the illness eventually goes away completely, while it becomes chronic for others. Why does this happen, and what should people do when they have bronchitis?

Dr. HeleneOct 28, 2025

Liver#hepatitis

Hepatitis: Ways To Spot the Symptoms

All types of hepatitis can seriously damage the liver. The cunning nature of the disease means that it is not always possible to diagnose it at an early stage before serious damage is done. Here is what you should watch out for.

Dr. HelgaOct 28, 2025

Install Ornament to not only read these articles, but also track your health, store test results, and access other useful features

Install Ornament