Here is guidance on vaccines and vaccine requirements to help you stay safe when traveling abroad on personal trips.
The following is Part 3 of a four-part series of brief, practical guidance to help our University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) community stay safe when traveling abroad. This guidance is intended for international personal travel; for UMB-related international travel, please consult the Global Hub and International Operations for additional information. The series was written by the UMB Office of Public and Occupational Health in collaboration with Wilbur Chen, MD, director of the Travel Medicine Practice at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health.
Many travel-related health risks are preventable, but protection requires planning.
Vaccine requirements vary by country: The most common required vaccine for international travel is yellow fever, particularly for countries in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South America. Some countries require proof of vaccination for all travelers, while others require it only if you are arriving from a country with yellow fever risk — including airport transit.
Before you travel:
- Review vaccines and requirements:
Timing matters:
- Schedule a visit with an authorized yellow fever vaccination clinic four to eight weeks before departure.
- Some vaccines require multiple doses or time to become effective.
For individualized travel health guidance, schedule a consultation with the Travel Medicine Practice at the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health.