Chikungunya Vaccination Updates: Check Your Travel Plans As New Vaccines Are Approved In The Uk, Us, And Eu Amid Safety Concerns

Published on September 1, 2025

By: Paramita Sarkar

In 2025, 2 caller chikungunya vaccines, IXCHIQ® and Vimkunya®, person been approved for usage successful nan UK, nan European Union, and nan USA, marking a important measurement successful nan conflict against this mosquito-borne viral infection. Chikungunya, predominantly transmitted by nan Aedes mosquito, causes terrible associated and musculus pain, headaches, and rashes, pinch symptoms often lasting weeks aliases moreover months. While it is not typically fatal, nan illness has go a increasing world wellness concern. As much travelers and at-risk individuals are now capable to entree these vaccines, authorities are besides intimately monitoring reports of superior adverse events, particularly among older populations.

What Are nan New Vaccines and How Are They Used?

The 2 caller chikungunya vaccines, IXCHIQ® and Vimkunya®, person been precocious approved successful cardinal markets specified arsenic nan UK and nan EU. IXCHIQ®, a unrecorded vaccine, was approved for individuals aged 18 and older successful nan UK connected 5 February 2025. The 2nd vaccine, Vimkunya®, a virus-like particle vaccine, was approved for usage successful individuals aged 12 and older connected 1 May 2025. Both vaccines person undergone rigorous reviews by nan Joint Committee connected Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and different regulatory bodies.

The IXCHIQ® vaccine has generated important attraction owed to information concerns arising successful older adults. As portion of post-market surveillance, wellness authorities person been investigating superior adverse events among individuals aged 60 and older. However, some vaccines were approved based connected their imaginable to trim nan consequence of chikungunya successful regions wherever nan illness is prevalent, specified arsenic parts of Africa, Asia, and nan Americas.

Who Can Receive nan Chikungunya Vaccines?

The vaccines person been approved for usage successful different property groups. IXCHIQ® is recommended for individuals aged 18 years and older, while Vimkunya® is suitable for those aged 12 years and older. In particular, nan UK’s JCVI guidelines propose nan usage of nan vaccines for individuals who are astatine a higher consequence of chikungunya infection, including travelers to areas pinch ongoing outbreaks, semipermanent travelers, and those moving successful laboratories pinch nan virus.

The vaccines person been intimately reviewed by wellness authorities, and successful nan lawsuit of IXCHIQ®, it has been recommended for individuals aged 18 to 59 years aged who are immunocompetent. Vimkunya® has not been restricted for usage successful older adults arsenic nary information concerns person been flagged successful this group yet.

Why Are There Safety Concerns pinch nan IXCHIQ® Vaccine?

The IXCHIQ® vaccine has been astatine nan halfway of information concerns pursuing reports of superior adverse events successful individuals aged 60 and older. In March 2024, nan US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 5 hospitalizations linked to cardiac and neurologic events successful older individuals aft receiving nan vaccine. Further, successful April 2025, nan French National Authority for Health (HAS) temporarily suspended nan vaccine’s usage for individuals aged 65 and older, pursuing reports of terrible adverse reactions, including deaths.

In May 2025, nan US FDA and CDC recommended a region successful nan usage of IXCHIQ® for individuals 60 years and older while nan information information was reviewed. A full of 17 superior adverse events, including 2 fatalities, were reported globally, starring to impermanent restrictions successful respective countries. As of June 2025, nan UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) imposed a akin regularisation connected IXCHIQ® for individuals aged 65 and over, pending further information reviews.

When Will These Vaccines Be Available and How Will They Be Administered?

The vaccines person already been approved for usage successful nan UK, nan EU, and nan US. IXCHIQ® and Vimkunya® are disposable for management successful healthcare settings specified arsenic clinics, recreation wellness services, and immoderate pharmacies offering travel-related wellness advice. As nan vaccines are rolled out, healthcare providers are expected to intimately show their usage, peculiarly successful older adults, owed to nan imaginable for adverse events.

Travelers heading to regions pinch progressive chikungunya outbreaks are encouraged to consult pinch healthcare professionals earlier their trip. The vaccines are disposable for those gathering nan eligibility criteria, and wellness professionals will supply guidance connected erstwhile vaccination is astir due based connected individual wellness conditions and recreation itineraries.

How Will These Vaccines Affect Global Travel and Health?

The preamble of these chikungunya vaccines is expected to person a important effect connected world travel, peculiarly for individuals heading to areas pinch ongoing outbreaks of nan virus. Countries successful nan tropics and subtropics, wherever nan Aedes mosquitoes are astir prevalent, person been reporting rising cases of chikungunya successful caller years. Travelers to these regions are urged to see vaccination arsenic portion of their preventative wellness measures.

In summation to vaccination, travelers are advised to return precautions against mosquito bites, specified arsenic wearing protective clothing, utilizing insect repellent, and staying successful accommodations pinch due mosquito control. With nan readiness of nan vaccines, galore individuals will person an added furniture of protection against this debilitating illness.

What Are nan Guidelines for Health Professionals?

Health professionals are advised to enactment up to day pinch nan latest recommendations connected chikungunya vaccination, particularly pinch respect to age-related restrictions and contraindications. The UK Health Security Agency and nan National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) provide elaborate guidance connected vaccination schedules, recommended property groups, and circumstantial country-based recreation advice.

In nan lawsuit of travelers returning pinch suspected chikungunya infection, healthcare providers are instructed to urgently consult specialists and see diagnostic testing. It is important for wellness professionals to support a beardown knowing of location outbreaks and counsel patients accordingly, particularly arsenic much vaccines are introduced to nan market.

What Should Travelers Do Before and After Vaccination?

Travelers are urged to cheque nan UK Health Security Agency’s Country Information pages for circumstantial vaccination recommendations and recreation wellness proposal earlier embarking connected their trips. Pre-travel consultations pinch a healthcare supplier tin thief find nan champion preventive measures, including vaccinations and proposal connected mosquito wound prevention.

After vaccination, travelers should proceed to return precautionary measures to debar mosquito bites, peculiarly astir dawn and dusk erstwhile mosquitoes are astir active. Insect repellent should beryllium reapplied regularly, and travelers are encouraged to deterioration agelong sleeves and trousers erstwhile possible.

In conclusion, nan support of nan IXCHIQ® and Vimkunya® vaccines marks a important improvement successful nan conflict against chikungunya. While information concerns remain, peculiarly among older adults, these vaccines connection a captious instrumentality successful preventing nan dispersed of this disease, particularly successful areas prone to outbreaks. With due guidance and precautionary measures, travelers tin amended protect themselves against chikungunya while enjoying safer world travel.