Holidaymakers jetting off to Greece are being urged to complete two essential checks at least eight weeks before their departure. The Foreign Office’s latest travel advice on their website advises travellers to check what vaccinations they may need well in advance of their trip.
They also recommend finding out where these can be obtained and whether there will be any cost involved. The NHS has warned that some vaccines require time to allow the body to develop immunity, with certain jabs needing multiple doses spread over several weeks or even months.
TravelHealthPro advises: “Travellers should be up to date with routine vaccination courses and boosters as recommended in the UK. These vaccinations include, for example, measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and diphtheria-tetanus-polio vaccine.”
For the most current information on health risks and necessary vaccinations for Greece, visit TravelHealthPro’s website here (from the UK’s National Travel Health Network and Centre).
Information on where to get vaccines and potential costs can be found on the NHS travel vaccinations page.
You will have to pay for vaccinations against hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, meningitis, rabies, tick-borne encephalitis, tuberculosis (TB) and yellow fever.
The NHS has listed several travel vaccines that are provided free of charge at your local GP surgery, aimed at combating diseases considered a high threat to public health if introduced into the country.
Certain individuals may face a higher risk of contracting diseases while travelling.
Those with pre-existing medical conditions should be aware that they might have an increased chance of infection or complications from travel-related illnesses, according to the NHS.