Get vaccinated against cholera with Dukoral at our Maidstone travel clinic, an oral vaccine, not an injection, that protects against cholera and some strains of travellers’ diarrhoea.
(Dukoral)
Choose a weekday. No GP referral or waiting list.
Cholera spreads mainly through contaminated water and food. Common sources in high-risk regions include raw shellfish, street food, and ice. Travellers eating locally or outside resorts face higher infection risks.
Symptoms often include sudden watery diarrhoea and vomiting, causing rapid fluid loss. While many cases are mild, severe dehydration requires immediate medical attention, such as oral or intravenous rehydration therapy.
Dukoral is usually well tolerated. The most common side effects include mild stomach discomfort, loose stools, nausea and headache. These generally go away on their own in a day or two. Severe allergic reactions are rare. Our pharmacist is in attendance at your appointment and can advise on any symptoms after your dose.
Please inform your pharmacist if you are pregnant, immunocompromised, or have a chronic illness. Eligibility is assessed individually during your appointment.
Backpackers and budget travellers
More likely to eat local street food and drink from non-bottled sources
Aid and relief workers
Direct exposure in outbreak zones with limited clean water access
Travellers to rural and remote areas
Fewer food safety standards, limited access to purified water
Pilgrims and large-group travellers
Mass gatherings in areas with stretched sanitation infrastructure
Adventure travellers and overlanders
Extended time in multiple high-risk countries
Travellers with lower stomach acid
Higher susceptibility to Vibrio cholerae infection
Mandeep Sandhu is superintendent pharmacist and independent prescriber at Maidstone Travel Clinic with specialist travel health training from NaTHNaC. Mandeep Sandhu is a fully accredited Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre vaccinator, qualified to advise, vaccinate and supply travel medications in one appointment.
Each consultation is personally led, not delegated, not rushed. Patients depart with a plan tailored to their individual trip, not a generic printout.
No. Dukoral is an oral vaccine taken as a drink. There is no injection involved, making it a straightforward option for patients who are nervous about needles.
Adults and children 6+ need two doses, 1–6 weeks apart. Children aged 2–5 require three half-doses. If previously fully vaccinated, one booster suffices if within the protection window.
Protection lasts up to two years for adults and children 6+. For children aged 2–5, it lasts six months; a booster is required within this timeframe, otherwise the primary course must be restarted.
Yup. Do not eat, drink or take any oral medicines for one hour before and one hour after each dose. Please inform your pharmacist of any regular medication at the time of your consultation.
Dukoral offers partial cross-protection against ETEC-diarrhoea, one of the most common causes of traveller’s diarrhoea. Protection is not complete so food and water hygiene precautions remain important throughout your travel.
You should complete your course at least one week before you travel to allow for immunity to develop. So that means booking your first dose anywhere between two and seven weeks before you leave, depending on how much time you leave between doses.
