When the DTP (diphtheria, tetanus and polio) vaccine comes up
Among the destinations in our guides, UK travel health guidance usually advises it for trips to Thailand, India, Vietnam and Indonesia. Each guide explains why.
About the vaccine
What it is
In the UK, tetanus, diphtheria and polio are protected against with one combined booster, so this page covers all three. Tetanus is a rare but dangerous illness caused by bacteria entering a wound, and polio is a viral infection that can, rarely, cause permanent paralysis.
How it is caught
Tetanus is caught when soil or manure containing the bacteria gets into a wound, such as a bite, burn or scratch, while polio spreads from person to person, mainly through contact with infected faeces or contaminated food and water.
Who it is advised for
Everyone in the UK is offered these vaccines through the routine schedule. A booster may be recommended before travel if your last dose was more than 10 years ago and you are going somewhere polio has recently been reported, or where it may be hard to get medical help quickly.
The vaccine course
Most people who were vaccinated as children need a single booster dose before travel. Adults who have never been vaccinated can have a three-dose course.
Where it is given
The combined booster for travel is usually available free on the NHS from your GP surgery, after a risk assessment. It is also available from pharmacies with travel health services and travel clinics.
This vaccine is often available free on the NHS for travel from your GP surgery.
Destinations
Usually advised for travellers to
Price
£40
See all vaccine pricesThis is a general guide from UK travel health guidance. The pharmacist confirms what is right for you at your consultation, based on your itinerary, health and vaccine history.
Sources: travelhealthpro.org.uk/factsheets/poliomyelitis, nhs.uk/vaccinations/td-ipv-vaccine-3-in-1-teenage-booster, nhs.uk/conditions/tetanus, nhs.uk/conditions/travel-vaccinations. Last checked 13 October 2026.
Planning the rest of your trip
Few trips call for a single vaccine. In the same destinations, travellers are also often advised about hepatitis A, typhoid and yellow fever. The pharmacist puts the whole plan together at one travel consultation, around your dates and the vaccines you have already had.
Prices for every vaccine are on the pricing page, and the destination guides set out what is advised country by country.