You may think “what the big deal!” Your going on holiday nothing will go wrong, you will be safe? Your tickets are booked and your luggage is ready packed. The days are counting down and you are making sure you haven’t forgot anything? You could be more concerned your valuables are safe..
Wait!!! Have you had your jabs yet? Its just a trip to Bangkok is it necessary?
There are actually still some risks involved, said Dr John Cheng, head of primary care and family physician at Healthway Medical, even if you’re heading into a city.
The higher the traveller traffic, the higher the possibility of contracting certain diseases. “Even in urbanised environments, there are risks of various diseases such as typhoid, tetanus and Hepatitis A,” he said.
The vaccinations you need may vary from region to region, even within the same country. “Take China, for instance. If you are visiting the smaller cities or rural parts, where there might be inadequate access to clean water, you may face the risk of contracting typhoid through the consumption of unclean food or water,” said Dr Cheng.
Having vaccinations when you were young in primary school may not be effective now! Tetanus, measles, rubella, mumps, diphtheria, whooping cough and polio you may remember but as an example. The tetanus vaccine, for instance, needs booster shots every 10 years after the age of 10 in order to work.
Depending on where you’re travelling to, you may be advised to get vaccinated against other diseases.
