The workers were nice and professional. The wait was short. The only problem I had is because it is very far from where I live. I wish there was one that was closer.
Read More
Winter Travel in 2026: Why Vaccinations Should Be on Your Packing List
Posted: Sep 22nd, 2026 at 12:00AM
Winter is one of the busiest times of year for travel. Whether you're flying across the country to visit family, heading overseas for the holidays, taking a winter cruise, or escaping the cold for a tropical vacation, preparing for your health should be just as important as booking your flight and packing your suitcase.
One important part of preparing for winter travel is making sure your vaccinations are up to date before you leave.
Travel can expose you to illnesses you may not normally encounter at home, and crowded airports, airplanes, cruise ships, hotels, public transportation, and popular tourist destinations can create additional opportunities for illnesses to spread.
At e7 Health, we help travelers understand which vaccines they may need based on their destination, health history, itinerary, and planned activities.
Why Is Vaccination So Important Before Winter Travel?
Travel brings people together from different cities, states, and countries. During the winter months, you're also traveling during a time when several respiratory illnesses commonly circulate.
Airports, airplanes, trains, cruise ships, family gatherings, holiday events, and indoor attractions may put you in close contact with large numbers of people.
Vaccination can help reduce your risk of certain preventable diseases and, depending on the vaccine, may also reduce the likelihood of serious complications if you become infected.
For international travelers, vaccination becomes even more important because some diseases that are uncommon in the United States continue to circulate in other parts of the world.
The CDC recommends that travelers make sure they are up to date on routine vaccinations before international travel.
Start With Your Routine Vaccinations
Before thinking about vaccines specifically associated with international travel, it's important to review your routine vaccination history.
Depending on your age, health history, and previous vaccinations, routine vaccines may include protection against illnesses such as:
- Influenza (flu)
- Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
- Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap)
- Chickenpox (varicella)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Polio
- Pneumococcal disease and other conditions based on age or risk factors
Your individual recommendations will depend on your medical and vaccination history.
Travel can also be a good opportunity to discover vaccines or booster doses you may have missed over the years.
Don't Forget Your Flu Shot
If you're traveling during the winter, your annual flu vaccination should be an important consideration.
Influenza spreads from person to person and can circulate anywhere people gather closely—including airports, airplanes, hotels, cruise ships, and holiday gatherings.
Getting vaccinated before you travel can help reduce your risk of influenza and serious flu-related illness.
Ideally, travelers should receive their flu vaccine with enough time for their immune system to respond before departure. CDC guidance notes that travelers who want to reduce their risk of influenza should consider vaccination, preferably at least two weeks before traveling.
Don't wait until you're standing in the airport wondering whether everyone coughing around you has the flu.
International Travel May Require Additional Vaccines
Your regular vaccines may not be the only ones you need.
International travel can expose you to infectious diseases that are uncommon in the United States. The vaccinations recommended for your trip can vary considerably depending on:
- The country or countries you're visiting
- The specific areas within those countries
- How long you'll be traveling
- Where you'll be staying
- The activities you'll be doing
- Your age
- Your medical history
- Your previous vaccination history
Depending on your destination and itinerary, travel vaccines can include hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, meningococcal, polio, chikungunya, and other vaccines.
Some vaccines are recommended based on your risk of exposure, while others may actually be required for entry into certain countries.
That's why searching for a general list of "travel vaccines" isn't always enough. Your travel health recommendations should be based on your individual itinerary.
Measles Is an Important Concern for International Travelers
Another vaccination travelers shouldn't overlook is MMR, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella.
Measles continues to circulate in many parts of the world, and international travel can increase the risk for people who aren't adequately protected.
The CDC currently recommends that travelers be fully vaccinated against measles before traveling internationally. It also notes that many measles cases imported into the United States occur when unvaccinated U.S. residents become infected while traveling internationally.
Before your winter vacation, checking your MMR vaccination status should be part of your travel preparation—especially if you're leaving the United States.
Some Vaccines Take Time
One of the biggest mistakes travelers can make is waiting until the day before their flight to think about vaccinations.
Some travel vaccines require more than one dose. Others need to be administered a certain amount of time before travel to provide appropriate protection or satisfy entry requirements.
The CDC recommends scheduling an appointment with a healthcare provider or travel medicine specialist at least 4–6 weeks before departure when possible.
Planning ahead gives you and your healthcare provider more time to:
- Review your vaccination records
- Discuss your complete itinerary
- Identify destination-specific health risks
- Administer recommended vaccines
- Complete multi-dose vaccine series when necessary
- Discuss medications that may be recommended for your destination
- Review other ways to stay healthy while traveling
Already leaving in less than 4–6 weeks? Don't assume it's too late.
A travel health consultation may still be worthwhile. Some protection may still be possible, and your provider can help determine which recommendations are appropriate based on the time you have before departure.
Going Somewhere Warm? You May Have Different Health Risks
Winter travel doesn't always mean snow.
Many people use the winter months to travel to tropical destinations, take cruises, or visit warmer parts of the world. While you may be escaping cold weather, you could be traveling to areas where illnesses spread through contaminated food or water, mosquitoes, ticks, or animals.
Depending on your destination, vaccination may be only one part of your travel health plan.
A travel health consultation can also help you understand precautions related to:
- Food and water safety
- Mosquito and insect-borne illnesses
- Malaria prevention
- Animal bites
- Traveler's diarrhea
- Altitude
- Local disease outbreaks
Travel health should be based on where you're actually going and what you're actually doing there.
Cruises Count as International Travel, Too
Taking a winter cruise?
Don't overlook your vaccination status.
Cruise travel frequently involves large groups of people sharing dining areas, entertainment spaces, transportation, and other common areas. International cruises may also stop at several countries during a single trip.
The CDC advises cruise travelers to be current on routine vaccinations, including vaccines such as MMR, tetanus, and influenza, with additional vaccines potentially recommended depending on the countries visited and planned activities.
If your cruise has multiple international ports, be sure your travel health provider knows your entire itinerary, not just the location where the cruise begins.
Your Winter Travel Health Checklist
Before you zip up your suitcase, add these health-related items to your pre-travel checklist:
- Review your routine vaccination history.
- Get your current flu vaccine if recommended.
- Check whether your MMR vaccination is current.
- Research the health risks for every country on your itinerary.
- Find out whether your destination recommends or requires specific travel vaccines.
- Schedule a travel health consultation 4–6 weeks before departure when possible.
- Bring documentation of required vaccinations when applicable.
- Make sure you have enough prescription medication for your trip.
- Discuss malaria prevention or other travel medications when appropriate.
- Keep a copy of your vaccination records with you while traveling.
The CDC also recommends travelers carry a copy of their official immunization records when traveling.
Protect Your Vacation Before It Begins
You've spent time choosing the destination, comparing flights, making reservations, and planning what you're going to do when you arrive.
Don't forget to plan for your health.
No one wants to spend a long-awaited vacation sick in a hotel room or searching for medical care in an unfamiliar country. While vaccines can't prevent every travel-related illness, staying appropriately vaccinated is an important part of reducing preventable health risks.
Get Travel-Ready With e7 Health
At e7 Health, we make preparing for your trip easier.
Our team can review your destination, itinerary, vaccination history, and individual needs to help determine which routine and travel vaccinations may be recommended or required before your trip.
Whether you're planning a winter vacation, international business trip, cruise, family visit, or holiday getaway, don't make your health an afterthought.
Book your travel health consultation with e7 Health before your next trip and make sure you're prepared before you take off.
The best vacation memories should come from where you traveled—not from what you caught along the way.
(Translated by Google) This is the best clinic I've ever visited. I went for some work-related tests and they treated me with so much kindness and respect. They have a fantastic team. Google won't let me leave a second review. I went a second time and they treated me just as well as always, with great kindness and professionalism. They make everything easy for you at our clinic, and they have a fantastic staff. Ms. Fernanda was a true professional. Thank you to all the doctors for making things so easy for us. (Original) Esta es la mejor clínica que he visitado. Fui hacerme un exámenes para mi trabajo y me atendieron con mucho amor y respeto, tienen un equipo de trabajo fantástico, google no me deja hacer una segunda reseña. Fui por segunda vez y me atendieron igual que siempre aquí con muchas amabilidad y profesionalismo a nuestra clínica porque esto te lo hacen fácil además de eso no tienen un gran personal profesional . La señorita Fernanda fue una gran profesional en su atención. Gracias a TODOS LOS DOCTORES POR HACERNOS LAS COSAS FACILES
Read More
Clean & professional
Read More