Chikungunya and the New Vaccines: A Travel Health Guide for Medway
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Quick answer
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne virus that causes fever and severe joint pain, which can last for months. Two vaccines, Vimkunya and Ixchiq, are now licensed in the UK, but they are only recommended for certain travellers, and avoiding bites remains essential for everyone. Medway Pharmacy can review your trip and advise whether vaccination is appropriate for you.
What is chikungunya?
Chikungunya is a viral infection spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, the same daytime-biting mosquito that spreads dengue. Symptoms usually come on suddenly and include a high fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, headache, sensitivity to light and a skin rash.
Most people improve within one to two weeks and chikungunya is rarely fatal. However, the joint pain can be severe and, in some people, lasts for months or even years after the initial illness, which is why prevention matters.
Where is chikungunya a risk?
Chikungunya occurs across much of Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean islands and the Americas, and outbreaks can flare up quickly. As with dengue, Aedes mosquitoes are also present in parts of Europe, so locally acquired cases can occur there too. Your risk is highest during an active outbreak.
Because the situation changes, it is important to check the country-specific advice for your destination before you travel, and to discuss your plans with a travel health professional.
The new chikungunya vaccines: Ixchiq and Vimkunya
Two chikungunya vaccines are now licensed in the UK. Vimkunya is a virus-like-particle vaccine approved in May 2025 for people aged 12 and over. Ixchiq is a live, weakened vaccine approved in February 2025 for adults aged 18 and over.
The UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises that chikungunya vaccination, alongside bite avoidance, may be considered for:
- travellers to regions with an active chikungunya outbreak
- long-term or frequent travellers to areas where chikungunya has spread in the past five years
- laboratory staff who work with the chikungunya virus
Who can have which vaccine?
The two vaccines are not interchangeable, and age and health matter:
- Vimkunya may be offered to people aged 12 and over.
- Ixchiq may be offered to people with a healthy immune system aged 18 to 59 only.
Following reports of serious side effects, including some deaths, in older adults, the JCVI currently advises against giving the live Ixchiq vaccine to people aged 60 and over, and to anyone with a history of a thymus gland disorder or thymus removal. This is a precaution that will be reviewed as more safety data becomes available. A pharmacist will check which vaccine, if any, is suitable for you.
How to avoid mosquito bites
Vaccination is never a substitute for bite avoidance, and for most short-trip travellers, careful bite prevention is the main protection. Because the Aedes mosquito bites during the day:
- Use an insect repellent containing DEET (up to 50%), and reapply it regularly throughout the day.
- Apply repellent after sunscreen, and cover up with long sleeves and trousers.
- Use screens, air conditioning or a mosquito net where rooms are not sealed.
What to do if you become unwell
If you develop a fever and joint pain during or shortly after travel, seek medical advice and mention every country you have visited. There is no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya: care focuses on rest, fluids and pain relief such as paracetamol. If symptoms could be dengue, avoid ibuprofen and aspirin until dengue has been ruled out.
Book chikungunya advice in Medway
Book a travel health appointment at 465 Canterbury Street, Gillingham, ME7 5LJ. Our pharmacists can assess whether a chikungunya vaccine is right for you, advise on bite prevention, and check your other travel vaccines at the same visit. Open 7 days a week until 10pm, with same-day appointments. Call 01634 575805.
Frequently asked questions
Not every traveller does. The JCVI recommends considering vaccination mainly for people heading to areas with active outbreaks, and for long-term or frequent travellers to regions where chikungunya has spread in the last five years. For many short trips, bite avoidance is the main protection. A pharmacist can advise based on your destination and itinerary.
The live Ixchiq vaccine is currently not advised for people aged 60 and over, following reports of serious side effects in older adults. The non-live Vimkunya vaccine has no upper age limit and may be considered instead, although it has not yet been used as widely. A pharmacist will weigh up the risks and benefits with you.
Most people feel better within one to two weeks. In a proportion of people, however, the joint pain continues for months or occasionally years. This long-lasting joint pain is one of the main reasons to take prevention seriously.
No, they are different viruses, but they are spread by the same daytime-biting Aedes mosquito and can cause similar early symptoms such as fever and aching. They can even circulate in the same areas at once. Because the treatments and bite-avoidance advice overlap, it is worth protecting against both.
More information
Ready to book your travel vaccinations?
Our pharmacists are available 7 days a week until 10pm, with same-day appointments at Medway Pharmacy in Gillingham, Kent.
Book appointmentMedway Pharmacy · 465 Canterbury Street, Gillingham ME7 5LJ