Travelers To Prague Urged To Get Hepatitis A Vaccination Amid Rising Infections

Published on September 6, 2025

Travelers heading to Prague and surrounding areas successful Czechia are being advised to get vaccinated against Hepatitis A (HAV) owed to a important summation successful infections. According to reports from nan Czechia State Institute of Health, nan state has knowledgeable a multi-month outbreak that has now led to 1,348 confirmed cases of Hepatitis A, including 15 deaths successful 2025 alone. As Prague remains 1 of nan most visited cities successful Czechia, this wellness alert is particularly important for visitors readying to sojourn nan city.

The Hepatitis A virus chiefly affects nan liver and is caused by consuming nutrient aliases h2o contaminated pinch fecal matter. While travelers tin mostly debar nan microorganism by pursuing basal hygiene practices, nan caller uptick successful cases highlights nan request for proactive measures, specified arsenic vaccination.

As of September 2025, nan mostly of cases person been reported successful Prague (436 cases), Central Bohemia (202), and nan Moravian-Silesian Region (118). Health officials propose that nan outbreak is mostly affecting vulnerable populations, including individuals who are homeless, those who usage aliases inject drugs, and group surviving successful mediocre sanitary conditions.

Why is Hepatitis A a Concern for Travelers?

Hepatitis A is simply a vaccine-preventable infection of nan liver caused by nan Hepatovirus. It spreads chiefly done contaminated nutrient aliases water, peculiarly successful areas pinch inadequate sanitation. While Hepatitis A is often mild successful patient individuals, it tin origin severe illness and moreover death successful susceptible groups. The effect of Hepatitis A is compounded successful areas wherever wellness infrastructure is strained aliases wherever residents person constricted entree to healthcare.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has noted that nan ongoing outbreak is predominantly affecting homeless populations, group who usage drugs, and those surviving successful communities pinch constricted entree to clean water and healthcare services. Despite nan targeted groups, travelers, particularly those visiting crowded municipality centers for illustration Prague, are astatine consequence if they don’t return due precautions.

How Can Travelers Protect Themselves?

For travelers visiting Prague, nan best shape of protection is to person a Hepatitis A vaccination. Health experts urge that unvaccinated individuals who are 1 twelvemonth aged aliases older, readying to sojourn Czechia, should person nan vaccine astatine slightest two weeks earlier traveling. This proposal is endorsed by some nan US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and nan European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

• Vaccination: Hepatitis A vaccination is highly effective successful preventing nan illness and is recommended for visitors heading to areas pinch outbreaks, for illustration Czechia.
• Timing: It’s champion to get nan vaccination at slightest 2 weeks before walking to guarantee maximum protection.
• High-risk Groups: Unvaccinated travelers complete 40 years old, those pinch chronic aesculapian conditions, aliases individuals pinch weakened immune systems should person some nan initial vaccine dose and immune globulin astatine nan aforesaid appointment.

The vaccination is widely available successful health clinics and pharmacies crossed Europe and nan United States, making it accessible to astir travelers.

Where are nan Outbreaks Occurring successful Czechia?

The caller outbreak of Hepatitis A successful Czechia has been concentrated successful nan pursuing regions:

• Prague (436 cases)
• Central Bohemia (202 cases)
• Moravian-Silesian Region (118 cases)

These areas person seen nan highest rates of infection, peculiarly successful communities pinch mediocre sanitation. Prague, arsenic nan superior city, attracts a important number of world tourists, making it basal for visitors to beryllium alert of nan Hepatitis A risk.

Health Experts’ Recommendations: What Should Tourists Do?

In ray of nan ongoing outbreak, wellness experts accent nan value of vaccination and nan take of hygienic practices:

• Get vaccinated earlier traveling, peculiarly if you scheme to sojourn Prague aliases different affected regions successful Czechia.
• Wash hands frequently and debar drinking unboiled water aliases eating nutrient from unhygienic thoroughfare vendors.
• Use bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth erstwhile possible.
• Avoid unpeeled fruits and vegetables that mightiness person been contaminated.

Impact connected Tourism and Business

The emergence successful Hepatitis A cases successful Prague and nan surrounding regions could person implications for tourism and local businesses. Tourists visiting Prague whitethorn beryllium concerned astir wellness risks, particularly successful nan city’s crowded areas. However, pinch nan due vaccinations and information measures, nan consequence tin beryllium minimized.

For local businesses, peculiarly those successful nan hospitality and tourism sectors, nan wellness advisory whitethorn consequence successful increased awareness and nan request for amended hygiene standards successful their operations. This could besides impact international travel to Czechia, peculiarly from countries for illustration nan US and UK, wherever Hepatitis A vaccinations are wide recommended for travelers.

What Tourists Need to Know

For visitors readying to sojourn Prague aliases adjacent areas successful Czechia, present are nan cardinal things to remember:

• Vaccination: Ensure you’re vaccinated against Hepatitis A earlier your trip.
• Hygiene: Be vigilant astir hygiene and sanitation during your travels.
• Timing: Get vaccinated astatine slightest 2 weeks before your travel to guarantee afloat protection.
• Health Advisory: Stay informed astir section outbreaks by checking pinch wellness services for illustration nan CDC aliases ECDC for nan latest information.

Conclusion: Stay Safe and Enjoy Your Visit to Prague

While Prague remains a beautiful and historically rich | destination for tourists, nan caller Hepatitis A outbreak serves arsenic a reminder of nan value of travel wellness precautions. With nan proper vaccinations, visitors tin minimize their consequence and bask each that this awesome metropolis has to offer. Whether you’re visiting for nan stunning architecture, nan vibrant taste scene, aliases nan delicious food, taking elemental wellness precautions will guarantee you enactment safe during your trip.

Key Takeaways:

• Hepatitis A vaccinations are recommended for each travelers to Czechia, particularly for Prague.
• The outbreak has chiefly affected vulnerable populations, but visitors are still astatine risk.
• Vaccination should beryllium done 2 weeks earlier travel to guarantee afloat protection.
• Stay informed astir local wellness advisories and believe basic hygiene to enactment safe.

For much accusation connected vaccinations and wellness tips, cheque pinch nan CDC, ECDC, and section wellness authorities successful Czechia.