cdc vaccine travel africa

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Vaccines for Travelers

Vaccines protect travelers from serious diseases. Depending on where you travel, you may come into contact with diseases that are rare in the United States, like yellow fever. Some vaccines may also be required for you to travel to certain places.

Getting vaccinated will help keep you safe and healthy while you’re traveling. It will also help make sure that you don’t bring any serious diseases home to your family, friends, and community.

On this page, you'll find answers to common questions about vaccines for travelers.

Which vaccines do I need before traveling?

The vaccines you need to get before traveling will depend on few things, including:

• Where you plan to travel . Some countries require proof of vaccination for certain diseases, like yellow fever or polio. And traveling in developing countries and rural areas may bring you into contact with more diseases, which means you might need more vaccines before you visit.
• Your health . If you’re pregnant or have an ongoing illness or weakened immune system, you may need additional vaccines.
• The vaccinations you’ve already had . It’s important to be up to date on your routine vaccinations. While diseases like measles are rare in the United States, they are more common in other countries. Learn more about routine vaccines for specific age groups .

How far in advance should I get vaccinated before traveling?

It’s important to get vaccinated at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. This will give the vaccines time to start working, so you’re protected while you’re traveling. It will also usually make sure there’s enough time for you to get vaccines that require more than 1 dose.

Where can I go to get travel vaccines?

Start by finding a:

• Travel clinic
• Health department
• Yellow fever vaccination clinic

Learn more about where you can get vaccines .

What resources can I use to prepare for my trip?

Here are some resources that may come in handy as you’re planning your trip:

• Visit CDC’s travel website to find out which vaccines you may need based on where you plan to travel, what you’ll be doing, and any health conditions you have.
• Download CDC's TravWell app to get recommended vaccines, a checklist to help prepare for travel, and a personalized packing list. You can also use it to store travel documents and keep a record of your medicines and vaccinations.
• Read the current travel notices to learn about any new disease outbreaks in or vaccine recommendations for the areas where you plan to travel.
• Visit the State Department’s website to learn about vaccinations, insurance, and medical emergencies while traveling.

Traveling with a child? Make sure they get the measles vaccine.

Measles is still common in some countries. Getting your child vaccinated will protect them from getting measles — and from bringing it back to the United States where it can spread to others. Learn more about the measles vaccine.

Find out which vaccines you need

CDC’s Adult Vaccine Quiz helps you create a list of vaccines you may need based on your age, health conditions, and more.

Take the quiz now !

Get Immunized

Getting immunized is easy. Vaccines and preventive antibodies are available at the doctor’s office or pharmacies — and are usually covered by insurance.

Find out how to get protected .

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South Africa Travel Requirements & Vaccinations

South Africa is located at the southernmost region of Africa, with a long coastline that stretches more than 1,500 miles banking the South Atlantic and Indian oceans. South Africa is about twice the size of Texas, making it the 25th-largest country in the world. Zulu is the most commonly spoken of the 11 official languages, but English is the second language of most South Africans and is widely spoken and understood throughout the country.

South Africa is a diverse country in both geography and climate, ranging from the extreme dry heat of the Namib Desert in the northwest to the lush subtropical conditions found on the east coast. Visitors to South Africa will enjoy a wide variety of activities and destination locations, including:

• Varied cultural and historical attractions
• Diverse wildlife and scenery
• Beautiful, sandy beaches

Recommended Vaccines for Travel to South Africa

• Hepatitis A
• Malaria (pill form)

*Rabies vaccination is typically only recommended for very high risk travelers given that it is completely preventable if medical attention is received within 7 – 10 days of an animal bite.

Travelers may also be advised to ensure they have received the routine vaccinations listed below. Some adults may need to receive a booster for some of these diseases:

• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)
• Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis)

Older adults or those with certain medical conditions may also want to ask about being vaccinated for shingles and/or pneumonia.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a travel medicine professional. Not all of the vaccines listed here will be necessary for every individual.

Talk to the experts at UH Roe Green Center for Travel Medicine & Global Health to determine how each member of your family can obtain maximum protection against illness, disease and injury while traveling, based on age, health, medical history and travel itinerary.

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Coronavirus Updates

Cdc says travel is safe for fully vaccinated people, but opposes nonessential trips.

Rachel Treisman

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its domestic travel guidance for fully vaccinated people on Friday, lifting certain requirements while continuing to advise mitigation measures like mask-wearing and hand-washing. Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its domestic travel guidance for fully vaccinated people on Friday, lifting certain requirements while continuing to advise mitigation measures like mask-wearing and hand-washing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated its domestic travel guidance for fully vaccinated people, lifting certain testing and self-quarantine requirements and recommending precautions like wearing a mask and avoiding crowds. But health officials continue to discourage nonessential travel, citing a sustained rise in cases and hospitalizations.

The CDC updated its website on Friday to reflect the latest scientific evidence, writing that "people who are fully vaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine can travel safely within the United States."

The announcement comes less than a month after the CDC first released updated guidance about gatherings for fully vaccinated people, which it described as a "first step" toward returning to everyday activities.

Air Travel Is Opening Up Again, But That Doesn't Mean The Pandemic Is Over

The CDC considers someone fully vaccinated two weeks after they receive the last dose of vaccine. Those individuals will no longer need to get tested before or after travel unless their destination requires it, and do not need to self-quarantine upon return.

The new guidance means, for example, that fully vaccinated grandparents can fly to visit their healthy grandkids without getting a COVID-19 test or self-quarantining as long as they follow other recommended measures while traveling, according to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.

Those measures include wearing a mask over their nose and mouth, staying 6 feet from others and washing their hands frequently. Masks are required on all planes traveling into, within or out of the U.S., under an executive order issued by President Biden.

But Walensky, speaking at a White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing on Friday, nonetheless discouraged all nonessential travel, citing a continued increase in the seven-day average of cases and hospitalizations.

"While we believe that fully vaccinated people can travel at low risk to themselves, CDC is not recommending travel at this time due to the rising number of cases," Walensky said.

CDC Director Fears 'Impending Doom' If U.S. Opens Too Quickly

She said that while vaccinated people can do more things safely, most Americans are not yet fully vaccinated. Those who are not must have a negative test 1-3 days before they travel under CDC guidance. They must either get tested 3-5 days after they return and self-quarantine for 7 days, or self-quarantine for 10 days with no test.

Walensky said on Monday that there is more travel occurring now than throughout the pandemic, including the winter holidays. She acknowledged that people have been looking to get away over spring break or take advantage of what they perceive as a "relative paucity in cases," and she said the country was seeing an uptick in cases as a result.

"The thing that's different this time is that we actually have it in our power to be done with the scale of the vaccination," she said. "And that will be so much slower if we have another surge to deal with as well."

The U.S. is already seeing an uptick in domestic travel, and many Americans are looking to book trips in the coming months in what experts described to NPR as a sign of "clear pent up demand for travel."

As the country's supply of COVID-19 doses has grown, so has Biden's goal for the number of shots in arms during his first 100 days, doubling the target to 200 million by the end of this month. Many states have already expanded eligibility to all adults or are set to do so in the coming weeks, well ahead of the president's May 1 deadline.

According to NPR's vaccine tracker , 16.9% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated, and 30% has had at least one dose. Researchers estimate that 70% to 85% of the country would need to have immunity for COVID-19 to stop spreading through communities.

International travel restrictions remain

The CDC is not lifting travel restrictions barring the entry of most non-U.S. citizens from places including China, Brazil, South Africa and parts of Europe. It will continue to require airline passengers entering the U.S. to get a test within three days of their departure and show proof of a negative result before boarding.

The travel industry has been pushing for some of these restrictions to end. A group of 26 organizations sent a letter to White House COVID-19 czar Jeffrey Zients urging the federal government "to partner with us to develop, by May 1, 2021, a risk-based, data-driven roadmap to rescind inbound international travel restrictions."

While Some Spring Breakers Swarm Beaches, Many Stay Home, Dreaming Of Summer Travel

"To be clear, at this time, we do not support removal or easing of core public health protections, such as the universal mask mandate, inbound international testing requirement, physical distancing or other measures that have made travel safer and reduced transmission of the virus," they wrote. "However, the data and science demonstrate that the right public health measures are now in place to effectively mitigate risk and allow for the safe removal of entry restrictions."

Travel and tourism have taken a considerable hit because of the pandemic with industry groups noting that overseas travel to the U.S. declined by 81% in 2020, causing billions of dollars in losses. Without lifting international travel bans, the U.S. Travel Association estimates that some 1.1 million American jobs will not be restored and billions in spending will be lost by the end of the year.

"Fortunately, enough progress has been made on the health front that a rebound for domestic leisure travel looks possible this year, but that alone won't get the job done," Roger Dow, the association's president and CEO, said in a statement . "A full travel recovery will depend on reopening international markets, and we must also contend with the challenge of reviving business travel."

Fauci Expects Surge In Vaccinations To Keep A 4th Coronavirus Wave At Bay

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• COVID-19 vaccine

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Africa CDC: There is a continental plan to vaccinate millions of Africans

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Since February 2020 when the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has been in overdrive coordinating a continent-wide response. One year since the outbreak, its Director, John Nkengasong , speaks with Africa Renewal’s Kingsley Ighobor about successes and challenges, including the concerted efforts by African leaders to implement a vaccination campaign targeting 60 per cent of Africans. These are excerpts: 

COVID-19 was first reported in Africa about a year ago. What has Africa done right? And what have been the major challenges this past year?

First, as we speak, we have now about 3.5 million cases of COVID-19, with close to 90,000 deaths. That is very sobering. When we spoke last year [March 2020], deaths were still in the hundreds. Second, we are witnessing an aggressive second wave of the pandemic. The mortality is increasing. It is taking us only about 25 days to record 20,000 deaths. Last year, during the first wave, it took us several months to record that number.

So, what have we learned so far?

I think the power of coordination, the power of collaboration and the power of leadership across the continent has been very valuable. We are having a very disruptive pandemic, unlike HIV and AIDS that does not stop people from traveling and doesn’t spread that fast. Globally, we have recorded about 100 million cases of COVID-19. It took us 40 years to record 80 million HIV infections.

What is the strategy for dealing with the new wave?

Two things: first, our prevention measures, which include mask wearing all the time and avoiding gathering in large numbers. Like other parts of the world, there's prevention fatigue in Africa, and people are eager to live normal lives. But once you do that, you make it easy for the virus to spread.

I must add that we are concerned about the potential impact of the new variant on vaccine efficacy.

Many cases are disproportionately in a few countries. For example, South Africa accounts for about 40 per cent of cases in Africa. Why is that?

Well,  COVID-19 is transmitted from person to person. It’s not as though there's something unique in South Africa; it’s just that if people are mobile and they congregate, they are exposed to the virus. So, we still need to look at demographic factors in a country like South Africa. Are places where people live in clusters more impacted? I don't know. Only science will tell us. A basic concept of epidemiology is who is infected, where did the infection take place and how did it happen?

Last year you said that Africa CDC was providing diagnostic equipment to countries, as well as training laboratory technicians. What impact did these have in countries?

A huge impact. When I spoke to you last year, we were ramping up diagnostic equipment across the continent and training people. Through the PACT initiative (Partnership to Accelerate COVID-19 Testing), we have distributed over 10 million tests across the continent—both the molecular and the antigen tests. All our members states can now conduct their own tests. So remarkable progress has been made, but remarkable challenges still remain.

When are Africans going to be vaccinated?

Morocco, Egypt, Seychelles have started vaccination and vaccines just arrived yesterday [as of 1st February] in South Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa, in his capacity as Chair of the African Union, helped secure 270 million doses of vaccines. We are working hard through the Africa Medical Supplies Platform to distribute the vaccines. We hope that in the next two weeks or so, we'll start vaccinating our healthcare workers, about three million of them.

We would have hoped to vaccinate the same time as in New York or London or Paris, but that is not the case. It takes logistics to put things together.

So, there is a continental strategy for vaccination; individual countries are not engaging in bilateral arrangements. Is that correct?

A continental strategy is what we call the whole-of-Africa approach, where we have three pillars: One is coordinating vaccine trials on the continent. The second is vaccine acquisition, which has led to the securing of 270 million doses. And the third is the Delivery Alliance that we have just established. The African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) is procuring the vaccines that will complement the COVAX [a WHO and Gavi Vaccine Alliance initiative focused on fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines] mechanism.

Keep in mind that our target is to vaccinate up to 60 per cent of our population. The COVAX mechanism will provide about 27 per cent of the vaccines, so we have a gap right there that the AVATT mechanism will try to fill.

We are developing guidelines on how to roll out vaccinations and countries will contextualize those guidelines according to their needs.

Last year, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) alerted countries about fake vaccines. Is that something that worries you?

We must anticipate everything that human behavior can bring to bear in a crisis and find a way to prevent that. In that light, we have established the Africa Regulatory Taskforce to expedite the authorization process for emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines in Africa. It’s an expert committee.

We are telling countries that, if you have COVID-19 vaccines or if anyone approaches you with a vaccine, send them over. We will take a look and make a pronouncement on it.

How will we know that COVID-19 is over? Is there a threshold to be met?

We have what we call the rate of positivity. If you test X number of people, how many are positive? For example, if I test 20 people and five are positive, then that is already telling you we still have a high positivity rate. So, we are looking at bringing positivity rate down to below 5 per cent. Getting to that point requires a combination of social distancing, mask measures and vaccines.

In Israel, for example, as they increased their vaccination, fewer people are going to the hospital. Once you deny the virus the chance to transmit, it will come to a point that it will be all over. I don’t think we will achieve that level this year; we will probably achieve that mid-2022 to end of that year when vaccination must have happened on a large scale.

What is your position regarding vaccine nationalism?

We need to work cooperatively and in solidarity. If certain parts of the world vaccinated and other parts did not, I don't think it is in anybody's interest. Now that we know which vaccines are working, the vaccines that some developed countries have acquired, at times in excess of what they need, should be brought back so that others can be vaccinated for the common interest.

We all live on the same planet. It’s in nobody's interest if people are behaving in a manner that would delay the elimination of the virus from the world.

Are there issues with affordability, especially for poor countries?

Remember the vaccines from the COVAX mechanism are free. They've been subsidized by donors. The vaccines offered through AVATT will be supported through the African Export-Import Bank [Afrexim] and will require that countries secure some loans or promissory notes to pay for them. Access to those vaccines will not be based on availability of money.

We should also keep in mind that vaccination is not just a health issue, it's an economic issue. If a country doesn't borrow money to vaccinate, its economy will not open up.

The Africa CDC just celebrated its fourth anniversary. What would you say are your top three achievements so far?

I think the top three achievements are, one: the recognition by member states that they have their own public health agency that has strong potential to be a game-changer in the future.

Second, is the level of leadership of the continent. During this COVID-19 crisis, Africa CDC has demonstrated to the leadership, at the level of Heads of State, that they can be a trusted voice. Africa CDC has been fortunate to be called up 13 times to brief the Heads of State. The latest one just happened over the weekend. I think it's unusual to have leaders sit with a public health agency to understand science on the continent and the pandemic, listen carefully to epidemiology, and believe in it.

The third one is the partnerships and networks that Africa CDC is bringing to bear across the continent, through the COVID-19 response mechanism. It is extraordinary. We now know where each other is. Whether you are in Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, you come to us every Tuesday to discuss the pandemic, discuss resources, network, and share information. We are a very young but very promising institution.

What are your top challenges?

Top challenges are those that face any institution - building capacity. Workforce development is a huge issue. At country level, we have to position ourselves as the public health agency that can work with member states to have competent responders.

Building our own capacity to support 55 members is also challenging. Remember, we are unique in that the US CDC is a national programme, the China CDC is a national programme, the European CDC supports 28 countries, but the Africa CDC, with very limited resources and capacity, supports 55 member states.

What does success look like for you?

For me, success in the future will be defined in three ways. One is that Africa CDC is empowered to be truly a premier public health organization.

Second is that it should really drive the agenda for every country in Africa to have their own national public health institute, that is their own mini-CDC. So that in 10 years from now we can have an Africa CDC in Addis Ababa, plus five regional centers, and every country their own mini-CDC, so that when you have an outbreak, we all move with speed to counter it.

Lastly, we must have workforce development that can bridge the current gap within 10 years. We need 6,000 epidemiologists, yet currently we only have about 1,900 on the continent.

What message would you send to Africans who worry about how much longer the pandemic will last?

We should be resilient. Our forefathers, - the Nelson Mandelas, the Kenneth Kaundas, the Julius Nyereres, the Kwame Nkrumahs - didn't promise us a continent that would be problem-free. They fought to give us independence.

We have to demonstrate our ability to rally around and fight COVID-19. It's difficult for me to imagine that we have to live with this pandemic, in addition to HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and a rising wave of non-communicable diseases.

Also in this issue

Tackling illicit financial flows to secure Africa’s future, curb conflict

Omicron-fuelled COVID-19 surge in Africa plateaus

UN, Swiss government new financing model to tackle water and sanitation challenges in Sierra Leone

COVID-19: African countries scramble for vaccines

Breaking the silence that led to surge in teenage pregnancies

South Sudan: Improving access to clean water for communities

‘It is time to make the African Dream a reality’ - Mario Mendes

Sierra Leone: Innovative water project will improve lives of Freetown residents

New AU chair DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi sets ambitious agenda for 2021

African countries embracing biometrics, digital IDs

African children’s books on sustainability and equality to be highlighted through latest SDG book Club

Angola: Soyo entrepreneurs switching from oil to sustainable agriculture

Unregulated Autonomous Weapons Systems pose risk to Africa

More from africa renewal.

Southern Africa faces uptick in COVID-19 cases

New UN-MultiChoice campaign to help fight COVID-19 fatigue

15 African countries hit 10% COVID-19 vaccination goal

Global COVID-19 Summit: Which way Africa?

Trusted Vaccines

Key Features

Cross Border Travel Solution

• Cheaper immunity certificates for cross-border movement
• Guaranteed human-rights paradigms embedded in immunity certificates
• Fluid regional harmonization and integration
• Private sector implementation of safe bubbles support

Vaccine Record Management

• Individual immunization record storage across health systems
• Dosage slippage and mixups prevention
• Efficacy tracking in aggregate and at individual level
• Vaccine effectiveness monitoring

Vaccine Allocation & Administration Scheduling

• Automated fair slot allocation and scheduling for organized groups / priority recipients
• Slot randomization for priority recipients in cases where they are more than vaccines available Optimized “queuing” and “waitlist management” to avoid overcrowding
• Automated allocation of vaccines to various health posts/facilities  
• Health Facility stockout analysis and automated remedying

Post Vaccine Administration & Feedback Management

• Vaccine side effects reporting
• Adverse effects catalogs and registers to track impact on marginalized and vulnerable groups.
• Address vaccine hesitancy through enhanced transparency and personalized risk communications.

Trusted Health

The africa union and its strategic partners have consolidated the digital vaccination and cross-border digital biosurveillance platform into a single e-network: trusted health., trusted travel, together with its partners, african union and africa cdc are providing this #trustedtravel, my covid pass tool to simplify verification of public health documentation for travellers during exit and entry across borders..

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Drug Information Group

College of pharmacy - chicago | rockford, what are current recommendations on travel vaccine administration, text1 heading link copy link.

Introduction International travel can contribute to the spread of several health concerns, including COVID-19, the Ebola virus, the Zika virus, and bacterial infections resistant to antibiotics. 1 According to the United Nations, international travel is rapidly approaching pre-pandemic levels; at the end of 2023, international flight arrivals approached 88% of what they used to be. 2 Individuals planning an international trip should consult a healthcare professional about possible health risks and how to best safeguard their health to reduce the chance of contracting an illness. 3 Planning ahead, taking the right preventive steps, and exercising extreme caution can safeguard traveler’s health and reduce the likelihood of disease transmission.

Travel Vaccines Guidance One way to take preventative health measures when traveling abroad is to be up-to-date on travel immunizations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) outlines general principles of vaccination and immunoprophylaxis in their 2024 Yellow Book for travel health. 1 They recommend travelers make a pretravel health consultation in order to discuss travel health risks and concerns. Key elements of a pretravel health consultation include: health status, the destination(s), the length and purpose of the trip, the mode of transportation, the standards of lodging and food hygiene, and planned activities. 3 During this assessment, it is important that the traveler provides a personal record of any vaccinations they have received in order to determine what else they may need prior to travel.

In terms of vaccinations, there are 3 categories to consider: required, routine, and recommended vaccines. 4 In the United States, routine vaccinations are advised for all individuals (depending on personal characteristics including age, risk factors, health issues etc). Required vaccines are in accordance with the laws of each individual country, and tourists are required to obtain the necessary vaccinations before entering that nation. Recommended vaccines are what the CDC advises travelers to get, even if they are not mandated by the country they are visiting; this may vary depending on a number of variables, including the location, the traveler’s health status, and the activities they have scheduled. The majority of common vaccines can typically be administered at different injection sites during the same visit without affecting antibody responses or raising the risk of adverse events. 1 When administering recommended immunizations at the same time, it is especially beneficial for travelers who may soon be exposed to multiple infectious diseases. To note: if a live-virus vaccine (such as the measles-mumps-rubella [MMR], varicella, or live attenuated influenza vaccines) is given within 28 days of another live-virus vaccine, the immune system’s ability to respond to the first vaccination may be compromised. The CDC also provides a list of non-routine travel vaccinations that are now accessible in the United States, such as the rabies, inactivated typhoid, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis vaccines. A full list of routine and non-routine travel vaccination guidance can be found on the CDC Yellow Book website ( https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/yellowbook-home ).

Travel health notices are also important to take note of prior to any domestic or international travel. The CDC issues travel health notices to advise travelers on precautions they can take to avoid infection or negative health impacts, as well as to advise them about global health risks. 4 A travel health notice may be issued in the following situations: disease outbreak in a nation or region; occasional cases of a disease in an uncommon or new geographic location; both man-made and natural disasters that pose a serious threat to public health or infrastructure damage that would restrict access to healthcare services; and large-scale gatherings that may spark disease outbreaks.

One such travel health risk in the Americas is dengue which has been labeled as a Level 1 travel health notice by the CDC. 5 This means that travelers should practice usual precautions when visiting many parts of Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Dengue is spread via mosquito bites, and a few ways that travelers can protect themselves is by dressing in long sleeves and long pants when they go outside, sleeping in an air-conditioned room or a room with window screens or under a bed net treated with insecticide, and using an environmental protection agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent. Another preventative option is Dengvaxia (the first Dengue vaccine approved in the United States). 6 It is a live vaccine which is approved for use of people (ages 9 to 16 years) who are living in dengue-endemic areas and who have laboratory evidence of previous dengue infection. It is administered as a 3-dose subcutaneous injection series given at 0, 6, and 12 months. It is important to note that Dengvaxia is not approved for travelers living in nonendemic dengue areas who are visiting a dengue-endemic area.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). CDC Yellow Book 2024: Health information for international travel. New York; 2023; online edn, Oxford Academic. Published March 23, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780197570944.001.0001. Accessed April 30, 2024.
• International tourism to reach pre-pandemic levels in 2024. www.unwto.org. Published January 19, 2024. Accessed April 30, 2024. https://www.unwto.org/news/international-tourism-to-reach-pre-pandemic-levels-in-2024
• International travel and health. World Health Organization. January 2019. Accessed April 30, 2024. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241580472 .
• Travelers’ health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed April 30, 2024. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/ .
• Dengue in the Americas. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 16, 2024. Accessed June 4, 2024. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-americas .
• Dengue vaccine resources. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed June 4, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/hcp/vaccine/resources.html#cdc_listing_res2-clinical-resources

Prepared by: Faria Munir, PharmD, MS, BCPS Clinical Assistant Professor, Drug Information Specialist University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy

The information presented is current as of June 4, 2024. This information is intended as an educational piece and should not be used as the sole source for clinical decision-making.

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Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by Age

Recommendations for Ages 18 Years or Younger, United States, 2024

Back to Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule home page

Vaccines and Other Immunizing Agents in the Child Immunization Schedule

To make vaccination recommendations, healthcare providers should:

• Determine recommended vaccine by age ( Table 1 – By Age )
• Determine recommended interval for catch-up vaccination ( Table 2 – Catch-up )
• Assess need for additional recommended vaccines by medical condition or other indication ( Table 3 – By Medical Indication )
• Review vaccine types, frequencies, intervals, and considerations for special situations ( Notes )
• Review contraindications and precautions for vaccine types ( Appendix )
• Review new or updated ACIP guidance ( Addendum )
• Print the schedule, color
• Print the schedule, black & white
• Download the mobile app

Compliant version of the schedule

Birth to 15 Months

These recommendations must be read with the notes that follow. For those who fall behind or start late, provide catch-up vaccination at the earliest opportunity as indicated by the green bars. To determine minimum intervals between doses, see the catch-up schedule (Table 2).

18 Months to 18 Years

Recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices ( ACIP ) and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC) , American Academy of Pediatrics ( AAP ), American Academy of Family Physicians ( AAFP ), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ( ACOG ), American College of Nurse-Midwives ( ACNM ), American Academy of Physician Associates ( AAPA ), and National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners ( NAPNAP ).

The comprehensive summary of the ACIP recommended changes made to the child and adolescent immunization schedule can be found in the January 11, 2024  MMWR .

• Suspected cases of reportable vaccine-preventable diseases or outbreaks to your state or local health department
• Clinically significant adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) at www.vaers.hhs.gov or (800-822-7967)

Questions or comments Contact www.cdc.gov/cdc-info or 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636), in English or Spanish, 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

Helpful information

• Complete Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations
• ACIP Shared Clinical Decision-Making Recommendations
• General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization (including contraindications and precautions)
• Vaccine information statements
• Manual for the Surveillance of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (including case identification and outbreak response)

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
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• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.

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Tanzania, including Zanzibar Traveler View

Travel health notices, vaccines and medicines, non-vaccine-preventable diseases, stay healthy and safe.

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After Your Trip

Be aware of current health issues in Tanzania. Learn how to protect yourself.

Level 2 Practice Enhanced Precautions

• Global Polio May 23, 2024 Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Destination List: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Guinea, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, including Zanzibar, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor at least a month before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. If you or your doctor need help finding a location that provides certain vaccines or medicines, visit the Find a Clinic page.

Routine vaccines

Recommendations.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)

Immunization schedules

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Please see  Your COVID-19 Vaccination  for more information. 

COVID-19 vaccine

Active cholera transmission is  widespread  in Tanzania. Cholera is rare in travelers.  Certain factors  may increase the risk of getting cholera or having severe disease ( more information ). Avoiding unsafe food and water and washing your hands can also help prevent cholera.

Vaccination may be considered for children and adults who are traveling to areas of active cholera transmission.

Cholera - CDC Yellow Book

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Tanzania.

Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.

Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.

Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis A - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep A

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60 years old traveling to Tanzania. Unvaccinated travelers 60 years and older may get vaccinated before traveling to Tanzania.

Hepatitis B - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Hep B

CDC recommends that travelers going to certain areas of Tanzania take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

Find  country-specific information  about malaria.

Malaria - CDC Yellow Book

Considerations when choosing a drug for malaria prophylaxis (CDC Yellow Book)

Malaria information for Tanzania.

Cases of measles are on the rise worldwide. Travelers are at risk of measles if they have not been fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure, or have not had measles in the past, and travel internationally to areas where measles is spreading.

All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, including an early dose for infants 6–11 months, according to  CDC’s measles vaccination recommendations for international travel .

Measles (Rubeola) - CDC Yellow Book

In Tanzania poliovirus has been identified in the past year.

Travelers to Tanzania are at increased risk of exposure to poliovirus.

Vaccine recommendations : Adults traveling to Tanzania who received a complete polio vaccination series as children may receive a single lifetime booster dose of inactivated polio vaccine; travelers who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated should receive a complete polio vaccination series before travel. Children who are not fully vaccinated will be considered for an  accelerated vaccination schedule .

Polio - CDC Yellow Book

Polio: For Travelers

Dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in Tanzania.

Rabies is also present in some terrestrial wildlife species.

If rabies exposures occur while in Tanzania, rabies vaccines may only be available in larger suburban/urban medical facilities.

Rabies pre-exposure vaccination considerations include whether travelers 1) will be performing occupational or recreational activities that increase risk for exposure to potentially rabid animals and 2) might have difficulty getting prompt access to safe post-exposure prophylaxis.

Please consult with a healthcare provider to determine whether you should receive pre-exposure vaccination before travel.

For more information, see country rabies status assessments .

Rabies - CDC Yellow Book

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Typhoid - CDC Yellow Book

Dosing info - Typhoid

Yellow Fever

Required for travelers ≥1 year old arriving from countries with risk for YF virus transmission; this includes >12-hour airport transits or layovers in countries with risk for YF virus transmission. 1

Generally not recommended for travel to Tanzania.

Yellow Fever - CDC Yellow Book

• Avoid contaminated water

Leptospirosis

How most people get sick (most common modes of transmission)

• Touching urine or other body fluids from an animal infected with leptospirosis
• Swimming or wading in urine-contaminated fresh water, or contact with urine-contaminated mud
• Drinking water or eating food contaminated with animal urine
• Avoid contaminated water and soil
• Avoid floodwater

Clinical Guidance

Schistosomiasis

• Wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated freshwater streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, or untreated pools.

Avoid bug bites

African sleeping sickness (african trypanosomiasis).

• Tsetse fly bite 
• Avoid Bug Bites

African Trypanosomiasis

African Tick-Bite Fever

African Tick-bite fever

Chikungunya

• Mosquito bite

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever

• Tick bite 
• Touching the body fluids of a person or animal infected with CCHF
• Mosquito bite
• Avoid animals

Rift Valley Fever

• Touching blood, body fluids, or tissue of infected livestock

Rift Valley fever

Airborne & droplet

• Breathing in air or accidentally eating food contaminated with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents
• Bite from an infected rodent
• Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus (only occurs with Andes virus)
• Avoid rodents and areas where they live
• Avoid sick people

Tuberculosis (TB)

• Breathe in TB bacteria that is in the air from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.

Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in Tanzania, so your behaviors are important.

Eat and drink safely

Food and water standards around the world vary based on the destination. Standards may also differ within a country and risk may change depending on activity type (e.g., hiking versus business trip). You can learn more about safe food and drink choices when traveling by accessing the resources below.

• Choose Safe Food and Drinks When Traveling
• Water Treatment Options When Hiking, Camping or Traveling
• Global Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
• Avoid Contaminated Water During Travel

You can also visit the Department of State Country Information Pages for additional information about food and water safety.

Prevent bug bites

Bugs (like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas) can spread a number of diseases in Tanzania. Many of these diseases cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine. You can reduce your risk by taking steps to prevent bug bites.

What can I do to prevent bug bites?

• Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
• Use an appropriate insect repellent (see below).
• Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
• Stay and sleep in air-conditioned or screened rooms.
• Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.

What type of insect repellent should I use?

• FOR PROTECTION AGAINST TICKS AND MOSQUITOES: Use a repellent that contains 20% or more DEET for protection that lasts up to several hours.
• Picaridin (also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin)
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD)
• 2-undecanone
• Always use insect repellent as directed.

What should I do if I am bitten by bugs?

• Avoid scratching bug bites, and apply hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to reduce the itching.
• Check your entire body for ticks after outdoor activity. Be sure to remove ticks properly.

What can I do to avoid bed bugs?

Although bed bugs do not carry disease, they are an annoyance. See our information page about avoiding bug bites for some easy tips to avoid them. For more information on bed bugs, see Bed Bugs .

For more detailed information on avoiding bug bites, see Avoid Bug Bites .

Some diseases in Tanzania—such as dengue, leishmaniasis, and African sleeping sickness—are spread by bugs and cannot be prevented with a vaccine. Follow the insect avoidance measures described above to prevent these and other illnesses.

Stay safe outdoors

If your travel plans in Tanzania include outdoor activities, take these steps to stay safe and healthy during your trip.

• Stay alert to changing weather conditions and adjust your plans if conditions become unsafe.
• Prepare for activities by wearing the right clothes and packing protective items, such as bug spray, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit.
• Consider learning basic first aid and CPR before travel. Bring a travel health kit with items appropriate for your activities.
• If you are outside for many hours in heat, eat salty snacks and drink water to stay hydrated and replace salt lost through sweating.
• Protect yourself from UV radiation : use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15, wear protective clothing, and seek shade during the hottest time of day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.).
• Be especially careful during summer months and at high elevation. Because sunlight reflects off snow, sand, and water, sun exposure may be increased during activities like skiing, swimming, and sailing.
• Very cold temperatures can be dangerous. Dress in layers and cover heads, hands, and feet properly if you are visiting a cold location.

Stay safe around water

• Swim only in designated swimming areas. Obey lifeguards and warning flags on beaches.
• Practice safe boating—follow all boating safety laws, do not drink alcohol if driving a boat, and always wear a life jacket.
• Do not dive into shallow water.
• Do not swim in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor.
• Avoid swallowing water when swimming. Untreated water can carry germs that make you sick.
• To prevent infections, wear shoes on beaches where there may be animal waste.

Climbing Kilimanjaro is one of the most popular outdoor activities for travelers visiting Tanzania. The high altitude may lead to altitude sickness. Talk to your doctor about ways to prevent and treat altitude sickness.

See Travel to High Altitudes .

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection that can be spread in fresh water, is found in Tanzania. Avoid swimming in fresh, unchlorinated water, such as lakes, ponds, or rivers.

Keep away from animals

Most animals avoid people, but they may attack if they feel threatened, are protecting their young or territory, or if they are injured or ill. Animal bites and scratches can lead to serious diseases such as rabies.

Follow these tips to protect yourself:

• Do not touch or feed any animals you do not know.
• Do not allow animals to lick open wounds, and do not get animal saliva in your eyes or mouth.
• Avoid rodents and their urine and feces.
• Traveling pets should be supervised closely and not allowed to come in contact with local animals.
• If you wake in a room with a bat, seek medical care immediately. Bat bites may be hard to see.

All animals can pose a threat, but be extra careful around dogs, bats, monkeys, sea animals such as jellyfish, and snakes. If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, immediately:

• Wash the wound with soap and clean water.
• Go to a doctor right away.
• Tell your doctor about your injury when you get back to the United States.

Consider buying medical evacuation insurance. Rabies is a deadly disease that must be treated quickly, and treatment may not be available in some countries.

Reduce your exposure to germs

Follow these tips to avoid getting sick or spreading illness to others while traveling:

• Wash your hands often, especially before eating.
• If soap and water aren’t available, clean hands with hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol).
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you need to touch your face, make sure your hands are clean.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Try to avoid contact with people who are sick.
• If you are sick, stay home or in your hotel room, unless you need medical care.

Avoid sharing body fluids

Diseases can be spread through body fluids, such as saliva, blood, vomit, and semen.

Protect yourself:

• Use latex condoms correctly.
• Do not inject drugs.
• Limit alcohol consumption. People take more risks when intoxicated.
• Do not share needles or any devices that can break the skin. That includes needles for tattoos, piercings, and acupuncture.
• If you receive medical or dental care, make sure the equipment is disinfected or sanitized.

Know how to get medical care while traveling

Plan for how you will get health care during your trip, should the need arise:

• Carry a list of local doctors and hospitals at your destination.
• Review your health insurance plan to determine what medical services it would cover during your trip. Consider purchasing travel health and medical evacuation insurance.
• Carry a card that identifies, in the local language, your blood type, chronic conditions or serious allergies, and the generic names of any medications you take.
• Some prescription drugs may be illegal in other countries. Call Tanzania’s embassy to verify that all of your prescription(s) are legal to bring with you.
• Bring all the medicines (including over-the-counter medicines) you think you might need during your trip, including extra in case of travel delays. Ask your doctor to help you get prescriptions filled early if you need to.

Many foreign hospitals and clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission International. A list of accredited facilities is available at their website ( www.jointcommissioninternational.org ).

In some countries, medicine (prescription and over-the-counter) may be substandard or counterfeit. Bring the medicines you will need from the United States to avoid having to buy them at your destination.

Malaria is a risk in Tanzania. Fill your malaria prescription before you leave and take enough with you for the entire length of your trip. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking the pills; some need to be started before you leave.

Select safe transportation

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of healthy US citizens in foreign countries.

In many places cars, buses, large trucks, rickshaws, bikes, people on foot, and even animals share the same lanes of traffic, increasing the risk for crashes.

Be smart when you are traveling on foot.

• Use sidewalks and marked crosswalks.
• Pay attention to the traffic around you, especially in crowded areas.
• Remember, people on foot do not always have the right of way in other countries.

Riding/Driving

Choose a safe vehicle.

• Choose official taxis or public transportation, such as trains and buses.
• Ride only in cars that have seatbelts.
• Avoid overcrowded, overloaded, top-heavy buses and minivans.
• Avoid riding on motorcycles or motorbikes, especially motorbike taxis. (Many crashes are caused by inexperienced motorbike drivers.)
• Choose newer vehicles—they may have more safety features, such as airbags, and be more reliable.
• Choose larger vehicles, which may provide more protection in crashes.

Think about the driver.

• Do not drive after drinking alcohol or ride with someone who has been drinking.
• Consider hiring a licensed, trained driver familiar with the area.
• Arrange payment before departing.

Follow basic safety tips.

• Wear a seatbelt at all times.
• Sit in the back seat of cars and taxis.
• When on motorbikes or bicycles, always wear a helmet. (Bring a helmet from home, if needed.)
• Avoid driving at night; street lighting in certain parts of Tanzania may be poor.
• Do not use a cell phone or text while driving (illegal in many countries).
• Travel during daylight hours only, especially in rural areas.
• If you choose to drive a vehicle in Tanzania, learn the local traffic laws and have the proper paperwork.
• Get any driving permits and insurance you may need. Get an International Driving Permit (IDP). Carry the IDP and a US-issued driver's license at all times.
• Check with your auto insurance policy's international coverage, and get more coverage if needed. Make sure you have liability insurance.
• Avoid using local, unscheduled aircraft.
• If possible, fly on larger planes (more than 30 seats); larger airplanes are more likely to have regular safety inspections.
• Try to schedule flights during daylight hours and in good weather.

Medical Evacuation Insurance

If you are seriously injured, emergency care may not be available or may not meet US standards. Trauma care centers are uncommon outside urban areas. Having medical evacuation insurance can be helpful for these reasons.

Helpful Resources

Road Safety Overseas (Information from the US Department of State): Includes tips on driving in other countries, International Driving Permits, auto insurance, and other resources.

The Association for International Road Travel has country-specific Road Travel Reports available for most countries for a minimal fee.

Traffic flows on the left side of the road in Tanzania.

• Always pay close attention to the flow of traffic, especially when crossing the street.
• LOOK RIGHT for approaching traffic.

For information traffic safety and road conditions in Tanzania, see Travel and Transportation on US Department of State's country-specific information for Tanzania .

Maintain personal security

Use the same common sense traveling overseas that you would at home, and always stay alert and aware of your surroundings.

Before you leave

• Research your destination(s), including local laws, customs, and culture.
• Monitor travel advisories and alerts and read travel tips from the US Department of State.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) .
• Leave a copy of your itinerary, contact information, credit cards, and passport with someone at home.
• Pack as light as possible, and leave at home any item you could not replace.

While at your destination(s)

• Carry contact information for the nearest US embassy or consulate .
• Carry a photocopy of your passport and entry stamp; leave the actual passport securely in your hotel.
• Follow all local laws and social customs.
• Do not wear expensive clothing or jewelry.
• Always keep hotel doors locked, and store valuables in secure areas.
• If possible, choose hotel rooms between the 2nd and 6th floors.

To call for emergency services while in Tanzania, dial either 112 or 999. Write these numbers down to carry with you on your trip.

Learn as much as you can about Tanzania before you travel there. A good place to start is the country-specific information on Tanzania from the US Department of State.

Healthy Travel Packing List

Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for Tanzania for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.

Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?

It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.

If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic . Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.

If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.

Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.

For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel .

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