Vaccinations
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Important vaccinations for travellers
The most common additional vaccines needed by travellers are hepatitis A and B vaccines, which have been developed to protect against contagious liver infections.
Whether you are going on a package holiday or a trip you have planned yourself, moving to another country or just going sailing in the Finnish archipelago, you should check your current vaccinations. The need for travel vaccinations or antimalarial drugs depends on your destination. The need for vaccines is affected not only by the destination country but also by the type of accommodation and whether you will travel in urban or rural areas.
Basic facts about vaccinations for travellers
- You will often need more than one dose of the vaccine.
- The more exotic your destination is, the earlier the immunisation should start. If you are travelling to a tropical country, you should begin the immunisation a couple of months before you leave on your trip.
- If you are travelling to a nearby destination, two weeks will be enough time to have your vaccinations before your trip.
Travel vaccinations and other medications for adults
The hepatitis A vaccine is also a basic vaccine for travellers. Depending on how exotic the destination is and the kind of trip in question, a vaccine against hepatitis B or a combined hepatitis A and B vaccine may also be needed.
Book an appointment for a hepatitis A and B vaccinationThe influenza vaccine protects against seasonal influenza, which spreads especially in the autumn and winter. Influenza is a severe respiratory infection caused by the influenza viruses.
Read more and make an appointmentBasic vaccines used in Finland include the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine, and immunity against these diseases should always be maintained. A polio booster vaccine is required if you are travelling to a country where polio is present.
Book an appointment for a tetanus-diphtheria vaccinationIf you intend to travel in an archipelago or an area where ticks are commonly encountered, it might be necessary to have the tick-borne encephalitis vaccine.
Book an appointment for a tick-borne encephalitis vaccinationAntimalarial medication is recommended for certain countries or parts of countries. You can get a prescription for this medication from a doctor.
Start a chat with a doctor through Digital Clinic. The doctor will write a prescription for you.
Go to Digital Clinic
The rabies vaccine is rarely needed. This vaccine may be necessary if you travel outside the typical tourist sites in areas where the disease is present or spend time in less developed conditions.
- Start a chat with a doctor through Digital Clinic.
The doctor will assess your suitability for the vaccination and write a prescription.
Go to Digital Clinic - Get the rabies vaccine from a pharmacy.
- Book a vaccination appointment with a nurse.
Book a vaccination appointment
If you are travelling to a more exotic destination outside Europe, please check if you need any of the following vaccines:
- yellow fever vaccine (might be mandatory when travelling to certain countries)
- Japanese encephalitis vaccine
- typhoid vaccine
- cholera vaccine
- polio vaccine
- meningococcal vaccine
Some countries may require an official stamp in the vaccination passport for some of the vaccines above.
- Start a chat with a doctor through Digital Clinic.
The doctor will assess your suitability for the vaccination and write a prescription.
Go to Digital Clinic - Get the vaccine from a pharmacy.
- Book a vaccination appointment with a nurse.
Book a vaccination appointment
Travel vaccinations for children
Before you go on holiday with children, your children should have had at least the basic vaccines included in the Finnish national vaccination programme, i.e. the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, as well as an early MMR vaccination for children aged 6–12 months. Particularly in the case of young children, it is a good idea to discuss the need for vaccinations with a doctor.
Learn more about the recommendations for different destinations on the website of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare External link.
Learn more:
Vaccinations for children and babies
Vaccinations provided by Mehiläinen
The range of services provided by Mehiläinen also includes vaccination advice and giving a variety of vaccines. Most of our locations have a doctor specialised in travel and a vaccination nurse who can provide you with the latest information and a personal vaccination programme of the vaccinations needed in the destination country.
A nurse or a public health nurse can give you a tetanus-diphtheria vaccine, a polio vaccine and hepatitis A vaccine as well as combined hepatitis vaccines at most Mehiläinen locations without an appointment. If you need more than one vaccine, we recommend booking an appointment.
If you are pregnant, allergic or on medication, a doctor’s assessment of the vaccination may be necessary. You should bring details of your vaccination history with you to the appointment.
Information about the vaccinations given at Mehiläinen and their periods of effectiveness is available in OmaMehiläinen.