What vaccines do I need for international travel?

There is no universal travel vaccine list - it depends entirely on where you are going, what you will do there, and what you have already had. The CDC's destination pages are the authoritative source: pick your country and you get the specific recommended and required vaccines and medicines for that trip. Three layers cover most travelers. First, routine vaccines: make sure you are current on the standard US schedule - MMR, Tdap, flu, COVID, and polio - because diseases that are rare at home circulate elsewhere. Second, destination-specific vaccines: hepatitis A and typhoid are common adds for much of the world; yellow fever applies to parts of Africa and South America, and some countries require proof of it for entry; Japanese encephalitis and rabies come up for rural or long stays. Third, special situations: pilgrimage travel like Hajj has its own requirements, and some countries ask for meningococcal or polio documentation. Timing matters. The CDC recommends seeing a clinician or travel health specialist at least four to six weeks before departure, because some vaccines need a series over weeks and others need time to become effective. Last-minute travelers should still go - partial protection and accelerated schedules beat none. Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text. It cannot vaccinate you, but it can help you read the CDC guidance for your itinerary and prepare for the travel clinic visit.