Loading Page...

Do you need a malaria shot for Zimbabwe?

CDC recommends that travelers going to Zimbabwe take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.



There is no "shot" or vaccine for malaria commercially available for adult travelers in 2026; instead, protection involves preventative oral medication (prophylaxis). If you are visiting Zimbabwe, particularly the Victoria Falls area or low-lying regions like the Zambezi Valley, the risk of malaria is significant year-round, with the highest risk occurring during the rainy season (November to April). You should consult a travel clinic at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to get a prescription for medications such as Atovaquone/Proguanil (Malarone), Doxycycline, or Mefloquine. In addition to medication, you must practice strict "bite avoidance" because no pill is 100% effective. This includes using insect repellent containing at least 30% DEET, wearing long sleeves and trousers after dusk, and sleeping under a treated mosquito net. While a malaria vaccine for children is being rolled out in some parts of Africa, it is not currently part of the standard protocol for short-term adult tourists. Always follow the "ABCD" of malaria protection: Awareness of risk, Bite prevention, Chemoprophylaxis (medication), and Diagnosis (seeking immediate medical help for fever after travel).

People Also Ask

  • Hepatitis A. Hepatitis A is recommended for travel to South Africa and Vic Falls.
  • Typhoid. A food and water borne disease, typhoid vaccination is often recommended.
  • Malaria. ...
  • Rabies. ...
  • Chikungunya. ...
  • Travellers' Diarrhoea. ...
  • Zika. ...
  • Sexually transmitted illness.


MORE DETAILS

high all year round in the north, east and northwest of the country including the valley of Zambezi River, Victoria Falls, national parks Chizarira, Hwange, Gonarezhou and Mana. We recommend the use of mosquito-repellent measures from dusk till morning, in combination with the use of malaria tablets.

MORE DETAILS

South Africa requires a valid International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) documenting yellow fever vaccination =10 days before arrival in South Africa for all travelers aged =1 year, traveling from or transiting for >12 hours through the airport of a country with risk for yellow fever virus ...

MORE DETAILS

You should begin taking antimalarial tablets before arriving in a malaria-risk area as guided by your travel health professional. Some tablets need to start a few days before you travel, whilst others may need to be started a week or more before travel.

MORE DETAILS

Livingstone is in a Malaria area.

MORE DETAILS

  • HIV/AIDS.
  • Respiratory infections & TB.
  • Enteric (intestines) diseases.
  • Neglected Tropical Disease & Malaria.
  • Other infections.
  • Maternal & neonatal.
  • Nutritional deficiencies.
  • Neoplasms (cancers)


MORE DETAILS