Last-minute trip: what still makes sense for vaccinations and travel health

Even if your flight leaves in a few days, a travel health consultation is still worthwhile. The DTG (German Society for Tropical Medicine, Travel Medicine and Global Health) stresses that last-minute trips are no reason to skip necessary or recommended vaccinations, especially hepatitis A, and accelerated approaches exist for some vaccines. The firm limit is yellow fever: the certificate only becomes valid on the 10th day after vaccination. Mosquito protection, hygiene and care around animals, on the other hand, work straight away.

Why a short-notice appointment still pays off

According to STIKO and DTG, vaccinations should ideally be completed at least two weeks before departure, so that protection can build up and any reactions settle before you travel. Less time does not mean nothing can be done. The consultation identifies which risks really matter for your trip and what can still be achieved:

• Check routine vaccinations: up-to-date protection against tetanus, diphtheria or measles is valuable even on a short trip. The DTG points out that, after a fall for example, you then will not need a tetanus vaccination abroad.
• Vaccinations that still help at short notice: for hepatitis A, STIKO and DTG consider vaccination shortly before departure to an endemic area worthwhile, because the disease has an incubation period of several weeks.
• Accelerated schedules: according to STIKO and DTG, some travel vaccines can be given on a faster schedule to people with a healthy immune system. These are not suitable for every traveller, and further appointments may be needed later for long-lasting protection. Your doctor will decide whether this applies to you.
• Discuss malaria: for destinations with a malaria risk, your doctor will decide which form of prevention is appropriate. According to the DTG, some options are also suitable for short-notice trips.

Bring your vaccination record and mention your departure date when you book. Our directory of travel clinics lists practices with a travel medicine focus and yellow fever centres.

Yellow fever: the 10-day rule

Yellow fever comes with a fixed deadline. Under Annex 7 of the International Health Regulations, the international certificate only becomes valid on the 10th day after vaccination and is then valid for life. For your planning, this means:

Some countries only require proof if you arrive from a yellow fever area or spent more than 12 hours in transit there, which mainly affects multi-country trips. See our guide to yellow fever vaccination.

Protection that works immediately

Many travel-related infections cannot be prevented by vaccination, only by behaviour. These measures work from day one:

Mosquito protection

Malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Zika are spread by mosquitoes. The mosquitoes that carry dengue, chikungunya and Zika bite mainly during the day, malaria mosquitoes mainly at dusk and at night. So protect yourself around the clock with repellent on your skin, long, light-coloured clothing and a mosquito net at night. The German Federal Foreign Office names repellents containing DEET or icaridin as the best tested. More in our guide to mosquito protection.

Water and food

STIKO and DTG advise against using tap water for drinking or brushing teeth outside high-income countries and against ice cubes of unknown origin. Eat well-cooked food and peel fruit yourself. Washing your hands regularly clearly lowers the risk of stomach and gut infections.

Contact with animals

Avoid contact with dogs, cats and monkeys. After a bite or scratch, wash the wound immediately with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical help without delay. Our guide to rabies when travelling explains why.

During and after your trip

Take a thermometer, as the DTG recommends for trips to malaria areas. If you develop a fever during your trip, or even months after returning from a malaria area, the DTG says malaria must be ruled out promptly. Always mention your travel when you see a doctor. More in our guide to malaria prevention.

Plan earlier next time

If you often travel at short notice, a well-kept vaccination record and a general consultation in advance will help. The guide to the travel vaccination timeline explains how much time is ideal, and the travel vaccine check gives a quick first assessment for your destination.