Hepatitis A Vaccine in Edinburgh

Medically reviewed by Emmanuel Ebube Umezulike, Superintendent Pharmacist, Avante Pharmacy (GPhC 2222671) on 1 October 2026 · Verify on the GPhC register · 6 min read

Hepatitis A vaccination is available at all our Edinburgh branches for travellers heading to parts of the world where the virus is more common, usually South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America and parts of Eastern Europe. Most adults have two doses spaced six to twelve months apart, which then protects for many years, though a single dose still gives useful short-term cover if your trip is close. It's also one of the travel vaccines available free through the NHS in Scotland, and this page covers both routes.

Who is usually advised to have the hepatitis A vaccine?

Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for most travellers visiting countries where the virus is common in the local population, since NaTHNaC notes the risk depends on the prevalence of hepatitis A locally, access to sanitation, and your own travel plans and health. People staying with or visiting local families, frequent or long-stay travellers, and those heading to areas with limited sanitation and safe water are considered at particular risk. If you're travelling to Thailand, our guide on hepatitis A rates there has more destination-specific detail.

Hepatitis A is generally low risk in most high-income countries such as those in North America, Australia and Northern Europe, so vaccination there usually isn't routinely recommended unless you have another risk factor, such as an existing liver condition. NaTHNaC estimates the incidence rate of hepatitis A among non-immune travellers is around one in 10,000 travellers per month for parts of Africa, and roughly one in 100,000 travellers per month for parts of Latin America, which gives a sense of how much destination affects real-world risk even within the same broad advice.

Symptoms can be mild or even unnoticed in young children, but the illness tends to be more severe with age, and adults are more likely to develop jaundice and take weeks to recover. This is one of the reasons vaccination is worth considering even for adults who feel generally fit and low-risk, since age itself raises the chance of a more serious illness if you are infected.

Can I get the hepatitis A vaccine in Edinburgh?

Yes. All our Edinburgh branches offer hepatitis A vaccination as part of a travel health consultation, where your pharmacist checks your itinerary and medical history before giving the injection. Because hepatitis A remains one of the most common vaccine-preventable illnesses in travellers, even though rates have been falling, it's one of the vaccines we're asked about most often, frequently alongside typhoid for similar destinations.

Is the hepatitis A jab free on the NHS in Scotland?

Yes. NHS inform lists hepatitis A among the travel vaccines provided free on the NHS in Scotland, alongside typhoid, cholera and the combined diphtheria, polio and tetanus booster. This is arranged through your local health board's travel health service rather than through us; we're a private alternative if you'd rather book sooner than an NHS appointment allows, or prefer to have it done alongside other vaccines in one visit. We don't charge for working out which vaccines you need — see current prices for the vaccination itself.

Can I get the hepatitis A vaccine at my GP?

Not usually as a first port of call. NHS inform confirms that GP practices in Scotland are no longer the point of contact for a travel health risk assessment, including hepatitis A and other travel vaccines; you're directed instead to your local health board's travel clinic, a private travel clinic, or a pharmacy travel health service like ours.

How many doses do I need, and how long does hepatitis A vaccine last?

Most adults need two doses given six to twelve months apart. NaTHNaC's vaccine schedule table lists protection lasting up to 25 years following the second dose for the standard hepatitis A vaccines, based on current UK green book guidance. A single first dose still gives good protection for an imminent trip, which is why it's worth having the vaccine even if your travel date is close — the second dose can then be booked in when it falls due, and evidence summarised by NaTHNaC indicates there's no maximum interval that would require restarting the course if the second dose is delayed.

How close to travel can I have the hepatitis A vaccine?

As close as needed — a single dose given even shortly before you fly still offers meaningful protection, which makes hepatitis A one of the more forgiving travel vaccines if you're booking late. That said, earlier is always better where possible, since it gives your body more time to build a response and leaves room to plan the second dose and any other vaccines your trip needs.

Is there a combined hepatitis A vaccine?

Yes. Combined vaccines covering hepatitis A alongside either typhoid or hepatitis B are available in the UK, which can mean one course of injections instead of two separate ones where you need both types of protection. Your pharmacist will talk you through whether a combined option suits your trip, without recommending a specific product by name, since the right choice depends on your age, timing and current UK availability — see our hepatitis B vaccine in Edinburgh page for more on when that combination is relevant.

Hepatitis A and typhoid often come up in the same appointment because they cover similar destinations — it's worth telling us your full itinerary so we can plan both, rather than just the vaccine you called about. — Emmanuel Ebube Umezulike, superintendent pharmacist

What are the side effects of the hepatitis A vaccine?

Reactions are generally mild and short-lived. NaTHNaC lists tenderness, redness and swelling at the injection site as the most common effects, with fever, headache, dizziness and general malaise reported less often. Serious reactions are rare, and your pharmacist will check for any previous hypersensitivity reactions or a current fever before vaccinating you, since these are the main reasons the vaccine might need to be delayed or avoided.

Booking hepatitis A vaccination in Edinburgh

You can book hepatitis A vaccination at any of our branches, including our Gorgie & Dalry travel clinic, alongside other travel vaccines such as typhoid vaccine in Edinburgh if your destination calls for both. Book your appointment online or call 0131 287 2020 and tell us your travel dates so we can fit your doses around them.