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Victoria Falls Overview
Considered by many to be one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, nearly 1 million people visit Victoria Falls each year. The Zambezi River plunges into a massive chasm creating an extensive waterfall on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Many travelers combine a trip to Victoria falls with a wildlife viewing safari to South Africa, Botswana, Tanzania, or Kenya. To ensure you have a safe trip to Victoria Falls, some vaccine and health advice before visiting is suggested.
Routine Vaccines for Visiting Victoria Falls
It’s always a good idea to be up-to-date on your routine vaccines before any international travel, including to Victoria Falls, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. This includes vaccines like Hepatitis B, MMR (measles), Tdap (tetanus), COVID, influenza. For older adults the pneumonia, RSV, and shingles vaccines may also be suggested depending on your age.
Travel Vaccines for Visiting Victoria Falls
Because food and water contamination frequently causes illness in travelers, visitors to Victoria Falls, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are recommended the hepatitis A vaccine. Additionally, cholera is considered widespread by CDC in both Zambia and Zimbabwe. Some travelers with longer-term or higher risk travel plans may be recommended the cholera vaccine.
Public health continues to report uptick in polio cases in many countries including Zambia and Zimbabwe. For this reason, you may also be recommended to receive a polio vaccine before your trip to Victoria Falls, even if you were vaccinated as a child.
Because dogs infected with rabies can be common in Zambia and Zimbabwe, some travelers also choose to vaccinate against rabies before travel to Victoria Falls.
Do I Need the Typhoid Fever Vaccine for Visiting Victoria Falls?
Travelers to Zambia and Zimbabwe can be exposed to typhoid fever from eating food or drinking beverages that contain the bacteria Salmonella typhi. For this reason, the typhoid fever vaccine is recommended for most travelers to Victoria Falls. When food is prepared with poor hygiene techniques, such as not washing hands after using the bathroom, the bacteria can be transferred from unclean hands to utensils and food.
Is the Yellow Fever Vaccine Required to Visit Victoria Falls?
While there is no risk for yellow fever at Victoria Falls, the vaccine may be required depending on your travel plans. Both Zambia and Zimbabwe do require the yellow fever vaccine if you have traveled to another African country with risk of yellow fever disease. This requirement can apply if you have a layover of 12 hours or longer in a country with yellow fever, even if you don’t leave the airport. Entry requirements to Zambia and Zimbabwe with respect to yellow fever will vary depending on your specific travel plans, so it’s best to speak with your local travel clinic a few weeks or months before heading out to Victoria Falls.
Do I Need Malaria Tablets for Victoria Falls?
Zambia and Zimbabwe both have risk of malaria throughout each country. And because Victoria Falls is on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe and in a risk area for malaria, medication is recommended to prevent infection. In the United States, malaria tablets are by prescription only and must be picked-up from your local pharmacy.
How Do I Take Malaria Pills for Zambia and Zimbabwe?
Malaria medication is taken by mouth, and several options are available including a daily or weekly pill. To prevent infection, malaria tablets should be taken before, during, and after your trip to Victoria Falls, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Visit a Travel Clinic Before Going to Victoria Falls
With three Massachusetts offices, many travelers to Victoria Falls, Zambia, and Zimbabwe choose Destination Health Clinic for vaccinations, malaria prescription, and health information. Our expert staff will discuss your travel itinerary in detail and help you determine if the yellow fever vaccine is required or recommended for your trip to Victoria Falls.
In addition to providing a prescription for malaria tablets for Zambia or Zimbabwe, we will explain in detail how and when to take malaria tablets, and help you choose the best option for your trip to Victoria Falls.
If you are in need of health and vaccine advice for your trip to Victoria Falls, we invite you to schedule your appointment online or call the offices nearest you.