Travel Clinic & Travel Vaccines in Waterloo — The Boardwalk Pharmacy
Travel Clinic & Travel Vaccines in Waterloo
Heading abroad? Whether it's a Caribbean beach week, a backpacking trip through Southeast Asia, or a wedding in India — The Boardwalk Pharmacy offers a full travel health consultation with country-specific vaccine recommendations, prescriptions for anti-malarials and traveler's diarrhea, and same-day administration of most travel vaccines.
Book at least 4–6 weeks before you travel. Some vaccines require multiple doses spaced weeks apart (Hep A/B, rabies, Japanese encephalitis), so the earlier you start the better.
Vaccines we administer
- Hepatitis A & B (Twinrix, Havrix, Engerix) — recommended for most international travel
- Typhoid (Typhim Vi injection or Vivotif oral) — for travel to South Asia, Africa, parts of Latin America
- Rabies pre-exposure (Imovax) — for long stays or rural travel in high-risk areas
- Japanese Encephalitis (Ixiaro) — for rural Asian travel during transmission season
- Cholera & Traveler's Diarrhea (Dukoral) — oral vaccine, drink-and-go
- Meningitis ACWY (Menactra, Menveo) — required for Hajj/Umrah pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia
- Tdap, MMR, Polio, Influenza — routine boosters before travel
Yellow Fever? We don't administer Yellow Fever vaccine — it's only available at a designated Yellow Fever vaccination centre. In the Waterloo Region, the Region of Waterloo Public Health travel clinic is the closest authorized provider. We're happy to coordinate the rest of your travel vaccines around your YF appointment.
Prescriptions for travel
Beyond vaccines, our pharmacists can prescribe (under Ontario's minor ailments and travel scope) or coordinate with your physician for:
- Anti-malarials — Malarone (atovaquone-proguanil), doxycycline, chloroquine — choice depends on your destination's malaria resistance pattern
- Traveler's diarrhea kits — antibiotic (azithromycin or ciprofloxacin) + loperamide for symptom control + oral rehydration
- Altitude sickness — acetazolamide (Diamox) for Andean, Himalayan, or Kilimanjaro trekking
- Motion sickness — scopolamine patches for cruises and long flights
- DVT prevention — compression stockings for long-haul flights, baby aspirin for high-risk travelers
What to bring to your consultation
- Your travel itinerary — countries, dates, urban vs rural areas
- Your past vaccination history (or estimated dates if you don't have records)
- A current medication list including any supplements
- Health card and insurance information (for direct billing)
- Any pre-existing conditions, pregnancy status, or recent medical events
Frequently asked
How far in advance should I book my travel consultation?
Ideally 4–6 weeks before departure. Some vaccines require multiple doses (Hepatitis B is a 3-dose series), and accelerated schedules can shorten the timeline for many vaccines if you're traveling sooner. If your destination requires Yellow Fever (which is administered at a designated YF centre, not at our pharmacy), book that appointment first since it requires a 10-day buffer before you're protected — then come to us for the rest.
Is the travel consultation free?
The consultation itself is free. The vaccines and prescription medications have costs that vary — some are covered by private insurance plans, but most travel vaccines are not OHIP-covered. We'll give you a clear estimate before administering anything.
Do I need Yellow Fever to enter [country] — and where do I get it?
Yellow Fever vaccination is required for entry to many sub-Saharan African and South American countries (some require it only if you're arriving from a Yellow Fever endemic area). We don't administer Yellow Fever at our pharmacy — it's only available at a Health-Canada-designated Yellow Fever vaccination centre, the closest one being the Region of Waterloo Public Health travel clinic. We'll check whether your destination requires it during your consultation and help you coordinate. The YF centre issues the ICVP "yellow card" certificate at administration.
Do I really need anti-malarials for a 1-week trip?
Depends entirely on where you're going. For coastal Caribbean, urban Southeast Asia, or most major tourist cities — typically no. For rural sub-Saharan Africa, the Amazon basin, parts of India, or rural Southeast Asia during malaria season — strongly yes. Our pharmacist will look up the specific malaria risk for your destinations and recommend accordingly.
Can I get vaccines if I'm pregnant or trying to conceive?
Most inactivated vaccines (Hep A, Hep B, typhoid injection, flu shot, Tdap) are safe in pregnancy. Live vaccines (Yellow Fever, MMR, varicella, oral typhoid) are generally avoided. We'll review your specific situation and either choose vaccine-safe options or recommend deferring travel to high-risk areas until after delivery.
Have a question?
Talk to one of our pharmacists — free, no appointment needed. We’re here Monday through Saturday.