TBE vaccination for adults

A single dose of tick-borne encephalitis vaccination – for adults and people over 16 years old.

Protect yourself against tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) – a serious viral disease for which there is no causal treatment. Infection may occur even after a short contact with an infected tick. The consequences of the disease may affect your health for many years, as TBE often leads to severe and permanent neurological complications.

Get vaccinated if:

• you spend time outdoors, in parks – even occasionally,
• you stay in areas where ticks are present,
• you want to start or continue the vaccination cycle or receive a booster dose,
• you do not want to risk serious neurological complications.

Vaccination schedule

A single dose of tick-borne encephalitis vaccine for adults and people over 16 years old is a real step towards immunity. It may be:

1. part of the primary vaccination cycle consisting of 3 doses:
   • when starting the vaccination – as the first dose;
   • 1-3 months later – as the second dose;
   • 5-12 months later – as the third dose.
2. a booster dose: the first booster dose should be given 3 years after the last vaccination in the primary cycle, and further booster doses should be given every 5 years after the last booster dose in order to maintain protection against TBE.

Vaccination implementation

The vaccine is administered intramuscularly by a nurse in a Medicover Medical Centre. Before vaccination, you must be qualified by a doctor. 

NOTE: Qualifying visits for vaccination are not included in the price. Patients who do not have these visits included in their healthcare plan can purchase them separately.

You can take the first dose of vaccination at any time after you have been qualified by a doctor. We will inform you about the date of the next doses during the vaccination.

In order to guarantee the completion of the whole vaccination cycle, we will call you and remind you of the dates of your next visits. Full immunity requires 3 doses.

To ensure continuous protection against tick-borne encephalitis, it is necessary to receive a booster dose – the first one 3 years after completing the primary vaccination cycle, and each subsequent one every 5 years.

Why should you get vaccinated against TBE?

Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis is particularly important nowadays, as the tick activity season is becoming longer and contact with ticks may occur not only in forests, but also in parks or gardens. TBE is a disease for which there is no causal treatment, as there is no medicine that eliminates the virus. In case of infection, only symptomatic treatment is possible.

Tick-borne encephalitis may lead to long-term neurological problems and even permanent deterioration of physical fitness. Complications of TBE may include:

• paralysis and paresis (most often of the limbs or shoulder girdle),
• chronic headaches,
• concentration and memory disorders,
• speech and coordination problems,
• muscle tremors and balance disorders,
• chronic fatigue and weakness,
• mood changes, irritability and depressive symptoms,
• post-traumatic epilepsy,
• permanent damage to the nervous system.

In some patients, complications persist for months or years, may lead to permanent disability and require long-term neurological rehabilitation. In the most severe cases, tick-borne encephalitis may also be fatal.

Benefits of vaccination against TBE

• It significantly reduces the risk of disease (administration of 3 doses ensures over 95% effectiveness).
• It protects against severe neurological complications.
• It gives you peace of mind and a sense of control over your safety.
• It allows you to take care of your health and enjoy outdoor activities, while still remembering that vaccination against TBE does not protect against Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

Purchasing process: step by step

1. Select the city and Medical Centre where you would like to receive the vaccination.
2. Add a single dose of tick-borne encephalitis vaccine to your basket and choose the payment method.
3. Fill in your personal data.
4. Pay for your order – you have 3 months to use it.
5. After payment, arrange a qualification visit. The qualification visit is necessary and the vaccination is performed immediately after it. You can arrange a visit at the reception desk of Medicover Centre or by calling the hotline (+48 500 900 505).
6. After the vaccination, you will receive information about the dates of any subsequent vaccinations. 

IMPORTANT: The purchase of a single dose of tick-borne encephalitis vaccine does not include the qualification visit. Patients who do not have it guaranteed as part of their healthcare package must purchase the qualification visit separately.

If you are 16-18 years old, vaccination is performed only in the presence of a legal guardian.

If you are not qualified for vaccination by a doctor, you must arrange another qualification visit on the date indicated by the doctor. The subsequent qualification visit is subject to an additional fee.

Vaccination against TBE protects against tick-borne encephalitis, but does not protect against Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases. It is still advisable to use basic preventive measures, such as repellents, appropriate clothing and careful skin inspection after returning from a walk.