Travel Vaccines for Jamaica and the Caribbean

The Caribbean is one of the more relaxed destinations on the vaccine front. There is no malaria in Jamaica, Barbados or most of the islands, and no vaccines are required for entry from the UK. That does not make the appointment pointless — it makes it short and cheap, which is how it should be.

Usually advised

Hepatitis A (£65, child £55) — worthwhile for most travellers, particularly if you are eating outside hotels, staying with family, or visiting rural parishes.

Tetanus, diphtheria and polio (£35) — check your last booster date.

Worth discussing

Typhoid (£35) — reasonable for longer stays, family visits and travel outside the resorts.

Hepatitis B (£55 per dose) — for longer stays or if medical treatment is a possibility.

The yellow fever certificate catch

Jamaica and several other Caribbean countries require a yellow fever certificate from travellers arriving from, or transiting through, a yellow fever risk country — parts of Africa and South America. Flying direct from the UK, this does not apply. Routing through, say, Panama or Brazil, it might. Bring your full itinerary including connections and we will check.

Malaria and mosquitoes

Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and most islands are malaria-free and need no tablets. Haiti and parts of the Dominican Republic are the exception on Hispaniola, where malaria risk is present and tablets may be advised. Dengue, chikungunya and Zika all circulate across the region, and none has a routine traveller vaccine, so insect repellent matters more than anything in the fridge here. If you are pregnant or planning pregnancy, ask us about current Zika advice specifically.

Sun, sea and the sensible list

High-factor sun cream, rehydration sachets, motion sickness tablets if you are boat-hopping, and a small first-aid kit will cover the overwhelming majority of what actually goes wrong. Take enough of your regular medicines for the trip plus a few days.

Frequently asked questions