Travel vaccines for India
From the Golden Triangle to the backwaters of Kerala and a sunrise over the Taj Mahal, India is a trip you'll never forget. Drop into Davyhulme Pharmacy in Urmston and we'll have the health side sorted long before you fly out of Manchester.
5 current health alerts for India
India is a country you can visit a dozen times and barely scratch the surface — the temples and bazaars of Rajasthan, the chaos and colour of Delhi and Mumbai, the houseboats and tea hills of the south, the Himalayan foothills around Rishikesh and Manali, or a long-awaited trip to see family. Wherever you're headed, a quick travel-health chat first means the only things you'll be thinking about are the food and the photos.
We're a local community pharmacy on Davyhulme Road in Urmston, a short hop from Manchester Airport, so there's no need to trek into the city centre for your jabs. Bring your travel dates, a rough idea of which regions you're visiting and any record of vaccines you've already had, and our pharmacist will build a plan that suits your trip. Try to come in around four to six weeks before you fly where you can, but do still call us if your departure is sooner — there's nearly always something worth doing.
Recommended vaccines for India
Think of this as a starting point — what you actually need depends on which regions you're visiting, how long you're away and what you'll be doing, so our pharmacist confirms the final list with you in the consultation.
Most travellers
Hepatitis A
Spread through contaminated food and water, which is easily done in India — recommended for almost everyone.
Most travellers
Typhoid
Typhoid is genuinely common in India. It's another food-and-water infection, so it's well worth having for most trips.
Most travellers
Tetanus, diphtheria & polio
India is one of the countries where a polio booster is advised within the combined jab if yours has lapsed — we'll check your records.
Some travellers
Hepatitis B
Considered for longer stays, healthcare or volunteer work, adventure sports, tattoos, piercings or new relationships abroad.
Some travellers
Rabies
Rabies is present across India and is carried by dogs and monkeys. Sensible for longer trips, cyclists, runners, children and rural travel.
For some trips
Japanese encephalitis
A mosquito-borne risk in rural and rice-growing areas, mainly for longer or repeated rural stays, particularly in the wetter months.
Tablets for some areas
Malaria tablets
Malaria is present across much of India. Whether you need tablets depends on your exact regions — see the malaria section below.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate for India?
Yellow fever isn't found in India, so there's no risk from it there and you don't need the vaccine to protect your own health. The catch is that India does ask for a certificate from travellers arriving from — or who have recently passed through — a country where yellow fever is a risk, such as parts of Africa or South America. Without it you can face a short quarantine on arrival. If you're flying straight from Manchester or anywhere in the UK, this won't affect you and no certificate is needed. If India is one leg of a bigger multi-country trip that takes in Africa or South America, tell us your full route and we'll check the rules and sort the certificate if you need it.
Malaria & mosquito bites
This is where India differs from a lot of the popular South-East Asia trips: malaria is present across much of the country, including many cities and rural areas, and the risk is higher during and after the monsoon. There's no risk at high altitude in the mountains, and a few areas are low risk, but for most itineraries malaria is something to take seriously rather than wave away. Whether you actually need antimalarial tablets depends on which states and regions you're visiting, the time of year and how long you're staying, so this is a key thing to go through in your consultation. Either way, good bite avoidance matters everywhere — a DEET-based repellent, loose long sleeves and trousers in the evening, and a net or air conditioning at night. Tell our pharmacist your exact route and we'll give you a clear yes or no on tablets.
Dengue and Zika to be aware of
Dengue is widespread in India and tends to peak after the monsoon. It's spread by mosquitoes that bite during the day, and there's no routine vaccine we'd give for it, so the daytime bite precautions above are your best protection — and they conveniently guard against malaria-carrying mosquitoes after dark too. Zika has also been reported in India. It's usually a mild illness, but because it can affect a developing baby, anyone who is pregnant or trying to conceive should have a chat with us before booking, as current advice may be to reconsider travel. We'll go through the latest guidance with you so you can make an informed decision.
Delhi belly, food and water
Almost everyone has heard of "Delhi belly", and an upset stomach is one of the most common things to catch in India — far more likely than any of the vaccine-preventable diseases. Sticking to bottled or properly treated water, hot freshly-cooked food, and being a bit choosy with salads, ice and street stalls goes a long way. We'll talk you through simple food and water hygiene and can point you towards a sensible travel kit, including rehydration sachets, so a dodgy meal is a minor blip rather than a wrecked few days. Vaccines like hepatitis A and typhoid cover the more serious food-and-water infections, but day-to-day care still does a lot of the heavy lifting.
Frequently asked questions
Four to six weeks before you fly is ideal, as some vaccines need a little lead time and a few, like rabies, are given as a short course. Don't write it off if your trip is sooner though — there's usually still plenty worth doing, so just ring the Urmston clinic on 0161 748 3016.
It depends on where you're going and when. Unlike a Bali or Thailand beach trip, malaria is present across much of India, so for some routes tablets are recommended while for others they're not. Bring your itinerary and our pharmacist will give you a clear recommendation rather than a blanket answer.
Yes, it's well worth it. People travelling to see friends and relatives often stay longer, eat in homes and head to areas tourists don't, which can actually mean more exposure to things like typhoid and malaria, not less. Pop in and we'll tailor the advice to where you'll be staying and how long for.
We'd avoid the tap water — stick to bottled or properly treated water, hot freshly-cooked food and be a little careful with ice and salads. An upset stomach is the most common souvenir from India, so we'll give you simple hygiene tips and can suggest a travel kit with rehydration sachets to keep any bug a minor one.
Yes — your whole travel consultation and the vaccines themselves are done here at Davyhulme Pharmacy by our pharmacist, so there's no need to head into Manchester city centre. Bring your itinerary and any record of past jabs and we'll handle the rest.
This information is grounded in NHS and TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) guidance and is for general information — not a substitute for a personal consultation. Your travel consultation is carried out by our pharmacist.
Heading to India?
Book a travel consultation at our Urmston clinic, or give us a call and we'll talk through exactly what you need for your trip.