Holidaymakers from Ayrshire are urged to take the time to check the travel health information available before jetting off.
Depending on your destination, there may be specific advice for travellers, or vaccinations needed for visa entry requirements.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran Travel Health Service can offer:
- advice about travel health;
- vaccinations for travel that are free on the NHS; and
- signposting to additional service providers if needed.
If you have booked a trip to a destination requiring travel health vaccinations please get in touch with the service at least eight weeks prior to departure to allow the scheduling of any appointments needed.
Some vaccinations are offered free by the NHS to citizens living in Scotland for the purposes of travel:
- Cholera
- Hepatitis A
- Diptheria, Polio, tetanus (administered as a combined vaccine)
- Typhoid
The Travel Health Service team can also offer advice about rabies, monkeypox and coronavirus. If you require antimalarial tablets or vaccines that are not available free through the NHS, you will be signposted to a participating community pharmacy or specialist travel clinic.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran Chief Nurse (Immunisation) Susan Wilson said:
“The NHS Ayrshire & Arran Travel Health Service can direct you to relevant information and offer advice about travel health, as well as schedule appointments for vaccinations offered free on the NHS. Patients no longer need to go to their GP for travel health information and treatment and should contact the Ayrshire-wide Travel Health Service in the first instance.
“You can go online to visit the national Fit for Travel site https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home, which offers a wealth of travel health information, or visit the NHS Ayrshire & Arran website https://www.nhsaaa.net/services/services-a-z/travel-vaccines/ to get further details, including how to get in touch with the local service.
“Our main ask is that you don’t leave it too close to your departure date if you do require travel health services. Please get in touch as early as possible after booking your holiday if you are going to need vaccinations or specific advice regarding your destination with regard to health risks in that country or region.”