Norfolk, VA: Your Gateway to International Travel Health
A complete guide for Norfolk-based travelers preparing for international trips — vaccines, regulations, clinics, and expert resources across Hampton Roads and beyond.
Norfolk & International Travel Health
Norfolk is the anchor city of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area and home to Naval Station Norfolk — the world's largest naval base. The region has one of the largest concentrations of active-duty military, veterans, and defense contractor personnel in the United States, all of whom travel internationally for deployments, training exercises, and official duty. Beyond its military identity, Norfolk is also home to Old Dominion University, Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), and a growing community with ties to Latin America, the Philippines, South Korea, and West Africa. Residents depart from Norfolk International Airport (ORF) and also use Richmond International Airport (RIC) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) for broader international connections.
The Hampton Roads region offers access to travel health services through Passport Health, the Norfolk Department of Public Health, EVMS and Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, and the Navy's medical infrastructure at Naval Station Norfolk. This guide brings together the essential travel-health information Norfolk travelers need before heading overseas.
Healthcare in Norfolk for Travelers
Norfolk and Hampton Roads provide solid travel-health infrastructure for residents preparing for international trips. Travelers can access pre-travel consultations, full vaccine menus, malaria prescriptions, destination-specific counseling, and post-travel assessment through Passport Health, the Norfolk Department of Public Health, Sentara Norfolk General Hospital's infectious disease services, and EVMS. Active-duty military personnel and their families also have access to travel medicine through the Navy's medical facilities at Naval Station Norfolk.
State Health Authority
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) oversees immunization policy statewide and supports certified yellow fever vaccination providers. The Norfolk Department of Public Health serves as the local public health agency delivering immunization programs and community health services for Norfolk residents.
Academic Medicine
Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) and its clinical partner Sentara Norfolk General Hospital offer specialist-level infectious disease services, pre-travel evaluation, and post-travel illness assessment for Hampton Roads residents and the broader civilian community.
Private Travel Clinics
Passport Health serves the Hampton Roads region offering yellow fever, typhoid, rabies, hepatitis A/B, Japanese encephalitis, meningococcal, and additional travel vaccines. Military personnel should also check with their installation medical commands regarding pre-deployment and personal travel health services.
Vaccine Regulations in Virginia
School Entry Requirements
Children attending public and private schools in Norfolk must receive required immunizations including DTaP/Tdap, polio, MMR, hepatitis B, varicella, and meningococcal vaccine according to age and grade guidelines established by Virginia law and VDH schedules.
Exemptions
Virginia allows medical and religious exemptions from school immunization requirements. Medical exemptions require documentation from a licensed physician. Religious exemptions require a signed statement from the parent or guardian submitted to the school annually as required by Virginia law.
International Travel Rules
Virginia does not require residents to be vaccinated before leaving the state, but many countries require or strongly recommend specific vaccines. Yellow fever is the most common legally required vaccine for entry to parts of tropical Africa and South America — destinations visited by Norfolk's Filipino, West African, and Latin American communities, as well as military personnel traveling to diverse global postings.
Routine Vaccines for Children in Norfolk
Norfolk follows Virginia's nationally recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedules. For travel medicine, the city's significant military family population means children may face rapid changes in deployment location and travel destination — making an up-to-date vaccine record especially important. Norfolk's Filipino, Korean, and West African communities also generate regular VFR travel to Southeast Asia and Africa.
| Vaccine | Disease(s) Prevented | Typical Schedule | Notes for Travelers |
|---|---|---|---|
| DTaP / Tdap | Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis | 5 childhood doses; adolescent Tdap booster | Important for wound and respiratory protection during international travel |
| Polio (IPV) | Poliomyelitis | 4 doses in childhood | Some travelers to polio-affected areas may need an adult booster before departure |
| MMR | Measles, Mumps, Rubella | 2 doses | Measles remains one of the most important routine vaccines for international travel |
| Varicella | Chickenpox | 2 doses | Important for children and teens without prior disease or vaccination history |
| Hepatitis B | Hepatitis B virus | 3-dose infant/childhood series | Essential baseline protection for travel, especially for longer stays or medical care abroad |
| Hepatitis A | Hepatitis A virus | 2 doses beginning at 12 months | High-priority vaccine for travel to Asia, Africa, Latin America, and many other destinations |
| Hib | Haemophilus influenzae type b | 3–4 doses | Important routine pediatric protection, especially for younger children |
| PCV | Pneumococcal disease | 4-dose series | Helps reduce severe bacterial disease risk during travel |
| Rotavirus | Severe diarrheal disease | 2–3 doses in infancy | Relevant because diarrheal illnesses remain common in many travel destinations |
| MenACWY | Meningococcal disease A, C, W, Y | 11–12 years; booster at 16 | Required for Hajj/Umrah; important for sub-Saharan Africa and military travel to diverse global locations |
| HPV | Human papillomavirus | 2–3 doses beginning age 11–12 | Not travel-specific, but part of complete adolescent preventive care |
| Influenza | Seasonal influenza | Annually | Seasonality differs by region and hemisphere; timing matters for travel |
| COVID-19 | COVID-19 | According to current CDC age guidance | Destination policies can change; verify current rules before departure |
Routine Vaccines for Adults in Norfolk
Adult travelers should not assume childhood immunizations remain sufficient for life. Norfolk travel clinics review tetanus, influenza, COVID-19, hepatitis A and B, shingles, pneumococcal vaccination, and destination-linked concerns. Norfolk's military community, Filipino and South Korean VFR travelers, and West African community all create regular demand for typhoid, hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis, meningococcal, and yellow fever vaccines.
Td / Tdap Booster
Adults should stay current with tetanus-containing boosters, generally every 10 years. Travel injuries, trekking, rural exposure, and minor wound care abroad all make this review important.
Every 10 yearsInfluenza
Annual flu vaccination remains a key routine recommendation. Travelers crossing hemispheres or traveling during regional flu season should review timing carefully.
AnnualCOVID-19
COVID-19 vaccination recommendations are updated over time. Norfolk travelers should confirm the current CDC age/risk guidance and any destination-specific documentation requirements.
Current guidanceHepatitis A & B
Travel clinics frequently prioritize hepatitis A and B for adults who were never vaccinated or have incomplete records. Especially relevant for travelers visiting the Philippines, Korea, Africa, and Latin America.
Catch-upMeningococcal
Required for Hajj/Umrah and recommended for travelers to Africa's meningitis belt and certain higher-risk adults. Important for Norfolk's West African community and military personnel traveling to diverse locations.
Risk-basedPneumococcal & Shingles
Older adults and those with certain conditions may need pneumococcal vaccination and shingles protection. Travel is a good time to update general preventive care.
Age / risk basedThe Three Categories of Travel Vaccines
| Travel Vaccine | Category | Key Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Fever | Required | Tropical Africa, parts of South America | Must be administered by an authorized yellow fever stamp holder; certificate becomes valid after 10 days |
| Typhoid | Recommended | South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, Philippines | Available as oral or injectable vaccine; commonly recommended for Norfolk's Filipino, West African, and Latin American VFR travelers |
| Japanese Encephalitis | Recommended | Rural Asia and parts of Southeast Asia | Relevant for Norfolk's Filipino and Korean communities traveling to rural Southeast Asia and the Korean peninsula |
| Rabies (pre-exposure) | Recommended | Asia, Africa, Latin America; remote itineraries | Important for animal contact risk and destinations with limited access to urgent post-exposure care |
| Cholera | Recommended | Selected high-risk destinations | Used selectively depending on destination and humanitarian or military-related travel |
| Meningococcal ACWY | Required / Recommended | Saudi Arabia (Hajj/Umrah), Africa's meningitis belt | Legal requirement for some pilgrims and an important risk-based vaccine elsewhere; relevant for military travel to diverse global locations |
| Hepatitis A | Recommended | Many low- and middle-income destinations; Philippines, Africa, Latin America | One of the most commonly recommended travel vaccines; high priority for Norfolk VFR travelers |
| Malaria Prophylaxis | Prescription Rx | Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, parts of Latin America | Not a vaccine; medication choice depends on region, resistance, duration, and medical history |
Main Travel Health & Vaccine Centers in Norfolk & Hampton Roads
Norfolk / Central Hampton Roads
6350 Center Dr, Suite 100, Norfolk, VA 23502
(757) 461-7733
Norfolk's primary private travel clinic offering yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis A and B, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, meningococcal, and routine travel vaccine services with itinerary-specific counseling for all Hampton Roads travelers including military families.
600 Gresham Dr, Norfolk, VA 23507
(757) 388-3000
The region's leading academic medical center affiliated with EVMS, offering emergency and inpatient care, infectious disease specialist consultations, and evaluation for returned travelers presenting with post-travel illness.
830 Southampton Ave, Norfolk, VA 23510
(757) 683-2700
Local public health department providing immunization services for Norfolk residents including yellow fever vaccination, routine vaccines, and referral guidance for international travelers.
Virginia Beach / Chesapeake
4425 Corporation Ln, Suite 400, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
(757) 333-1999
Travel vaccine clinic serving Virginia Beach and the southeastern Hampton Roads area with yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis A, and other travel immunizations for residents across the region.
1060 First Colonial Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23454
(757) 395-8000
Full-service hospital in Virginia Beach offering comprehensive emergency, inpatient, and specialist care for Hampton Roads residents on the south side of the region.
📍 Norfolk & Hampton Roads Travel Health Centers
Click any marker to view details and get Google Maps directions. Orange = Travel Health Clinic | Blue = Major Hospital
Pre-Travel Health Checklist for Norfolk Travelers
Whether you are flying from Norfolk International Airport (ORF) or connecting through Richmond or Reagan National, this preparation timeline helps ensure you leave with the right protection and paperwork.
| Timeframe | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 6+ Weeks Before | Book a travel medicine consultation | Arrange an appointment with Passport Health Norfolk or Virginia Beach, the Norfolk Department of Public Health, Sentara Norfolk General, or another Hampton Roads provider. Military travelers should also check with their installation medical command. Review CDC destination guidance and visa or vaccination rules. |
| At Your Visit | Bring all vaccine records | Review routine immunizations, destination-specific vaccines, malaria prevention, altitude advice, and travel-related prescriptions. Military personnel should bring their DD Form 2766/2766C shot record. |
| Follow-Up Visits | Complete multi-dose series | Rabies pre-exposure, Japanese encephalitis, hepatitis A/B catch-up, and some other regimens may need spacing between doses — plan follow-up appointments promptly. |
| 1–2 Weeks Before | Confirm documents and medications | Check that your yellow fever certificate is complete if required, and pack prescriptions, insect repellent, sunscreen, oral rehydration salts, and regular medicines in carry-on luggage. |
| On Return | Monitor symptoms | Fever, rash, diarrhea, jaundice, or unexplained illness after international travel should trigger medical review. Report to Sentara Norfolk General, or your primary care provider. |
Ready to Travel from Norfolk?
Start your travel health preparation early. Norfolk and Hampton Roads travel clinics and medical centers can help protect you wherever your itinerary takes you.
This article is for informational purposes only. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider for personalized travel-health advice. Information should be rechecked before travel because recommendations and entry rules can change.