FastHeal Clinic · Travel Clinic Woking
Tick-Borne Encephalitis Vaccine in Woking
For walking, camping, cycling and forestry in Europe and Central Asia. Two doses 14 days apart give cover for the season.
3 Mercia WalkWoking
Surrey, GU21 6XS
About the service
Tick-Borne Encephalitis at FastHeal Woking
Tick-borne encephalitis is the one European travel vaccine most people have never heard of. It is a viral infection of the brain spread by tick bites in forested and grassy areas across much of central and eastern Europe, and the risk area has been creeping west and north. If your holiday involves woods, meadows or campsites between spring and autumn, FastHeal Woking can vaccinate you before you go.
Where the ticks are
TBE is established across Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, the Baltic states, Sweden, Finland, parts of Norway and Denmark, Russia and Central Asia, and increasingly in the Netherlands, Belgium and northern France. A small number of cases have been acquired in England. Ticks are active from roughly March to November, at their busiest in early summer and early autumn, and are found below about 1,500 metres.
Who should have it
- Hikers, mountain bikers, campers, foragers, hunters and anglers visiting risk areas in tick season
- Anyone working outdoors, in forestry or on farms there
- Families with children who will be playing in long grass and woodland
- People living in or making repeated trips to risk countries
A city break in Vienna or Prague does not need it. A week's walking in the Austrian Tyrol or a summer in a Swedish cabin does.
The illness
Most infections cause a flu-like illness one to two weeks after the bite. In a proportion of people a second phase follows, with meningitis or encephalitis: severe headache, stiff neck, confusion, weakness or paralysis. Around one in ten of those with the severe form are left with long-term neurological problems. There is no specific treatment.
The course
Three injections for full protection. The rapid schedule for travel is day 0 and day 14, which gives protection for the coming season, with a third dose 5 to 12 months later to complete the course. On the standard schedule the second dose comes 1 to 3 months after the first.
After three doses, protection lasts at least three years. A booster is then given at three years, and every five years after that for people under 60, or every three years over 60. A children's version is licensed from one year of age.
Book the first dose at least three to four weeks before you travel so the second dose has a week to take effect.
Bite prevention still counts
Ticks also carry Lyme disease, which has no vaccine. Long trousers tucked into socks, repellent, and a full-body tick check every evening. Remove any tick promptly with fine tweezers or a tick tool, pulling straight out.
Side effects
Tenderness at the injection site, and sometimes headache, tiredness or muscle ache for a day or two. It is an inactivated vaccine.
Price
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| TBE vaccine, adult (per dose) | £65 |
| TBE vaccine, paediatric (per dose) | £50 |
Consultation free when booked with any vaccine.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the TBE vaccine for Germany?
For the Bavarian and Baden-Württemberg countryside in summer, it is recommended. For Berlin, Hamburg or the Rhine cities, no.
How quickly does it work?
Two doses 14 days apart give protection for the current tick season about a week after the second dose.
Is the TBE vaccine available on the NHS?
No. It is private only.
Can children have it?
Yes, from one year, using the junior formulation.
Is TBE in the UK?
A handful of locally acquired cases have been identified in England since 2019, mainly in the south and east. The risk is currently very low and vaccination is not recommended for UK residents on that basis.
Visit our Woking clinic
Step inside our calm, modern clinic on Woking High Street and you'll find a friendly team ready to help. Our private consultation rooms and welcoming clinic environment mean you'll always feel comfortable and well looked after.
- Modern, welcoming clinic environment
- Private consultation rooms
- Friendly, qualified clinicians on hand
- Convenient Woking High Street location
Book your TBE vaccine
Tell us where you are walking and when, and we will confirm whether it is recommended.