Rabies Vaccine in Romford

Who needs the rabies vaccine?

Rabies is present across most of Asia, Africa and Latin America, and it is almost always fatal once symptoms appear. The problem for travellers is rarely the bite itself — it is how hard the treatment can be to reach. The blood-derived immunoglobulin needed after a high-risk bite is difficult or impossible to obtain in many countries, and an unvaccinated traveller may have to fly to another country, or home, to get it.

Pre-exposure vaccination is worth considering if you are:

• travelling for longer than a month, or anywhere rural and far from a reliable hospital;
• backpacking, trekking, cycling or running — cyclists and runners are bitten disproportionately often;
• working or volunteering with animals, or visiting sanctuaries;
• visiting friends and relatives in an affected region, where trips tend to be longer and more rural than a package holiday;
• travelling with young children, who are more likely to approach animals and less likely to mention a lick or a scratch.

Dogs are the most common source worldwide; cats and monkeys are also a risk, and bats are considered a rabies risk in every country. Guidance follows NaTHNaC and the UKHSA Green Book.

The rabies vaccine: course & schedule

The standard pre-exposure course is three doses over 21–28 days — day 0, day 7, and a third dose between day 21 and day 28. Protection builds across the course, so the earlier you start, the better.

Short on time? The accelerated option

A rapid schedule is possible where time before travel is limited, and it is one of the most common reasons people book with us rather than wait for a GP appointment. Whether it suits you depends on your travel date and vaccination history — the pharmacist will confirm at your consultation.

Being vaccinated does not replace treatment after a bite

This is the single most important thing to take away. If you are bitten, scratched, or licked on broken skin, you still need urgent medical attention. What pre-exposure vaccination changes is what that treatment looks like: you need only two booster doses rather than a full course, you do not need immunoglobulin, and a delay in reaching a clinic is far less dangerous. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap under running water for several minutes and seek care straight away.

Same-day & last-minute appointments

Travelling soon? Same-day and last-minute appointments are available at our Romford and Dagenham clinics where clinically appropriate. We also keep late-afternoon slots so you can get it done after work rather than taking a day off. Book online or call 01708 897617.

What it costs

See our booking page for current rates.

Getting your rabies vaccine in Romford

Brooks Pharmacy runs its travel clinic at 12 Chase Cross Road, Romford RM5 3PR — at the top of Collier Row, about five minutes north of Romford Market on the A1112. There is free patient parking on the door, and buses along Collier Row Road stop close by. Our second clinic is at 281 Wood Lane, Dagenham RM8 3NH, just off the A124 towards Barking. Both clinics book through the same team on 01708 897617, and there is no GP referral to arrange.

We serve Romford, Dagenham and East London — including Collier Row, Gidea Park, Hornchurch, Upminster, Harold Wood, Rainham, Elm Park, Becontree, Chadwell Heath, Barking and Ilford. Both sites are registered NHS community pharmacies (GPhC premises 1031352 in Romford and 1031154 in Dagenham) — see the Romford and Dagenham NHS profiles.

This page is written and clinically reviewed by the pharmacist team at Brooks Pharmacy, led by Superintendent Pharmacist Gurvinder Singh Sembhi (GPhC 2030374) with Ali Nuhu (GPhC 2222371), following NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro and NHS Fit for Travel guidance.