I will be heading off on an overseas trip in July to Thailand / Malaysia / Singapore. It’s been on my mind for a while to get my travel shots.
Things are starting to get into place – I recently bought my travel insurance and we’ve booked out flights and most of our accommodations. I recommend Travel Insurance Direct. I’ve used them for a few years now and find that its cheap and extensive coverage. Everything’s handled online and you can get a quote immediately.
The other thing I need to do is get some travel shots. I haven’t been able to find much information on the net about when to get them. But from my experience and having visited a few doctors in the past, it should be 4-6 weeks before you head overseas.
So what kind of shots should I be getting? Previously when I went to South East Asia (Vietnam, Thailand) in 2007, I had two shots which both contained 2 in 1 shots. Shots that might consider getting are tetanus, diphtheria, Hep A and Typhoid. I’m a big fan of the 2 in 1 shots because its means I have less needles!
You also need to be aware that with some injections you can get booster shots. This means that within 6-12 months you can get another shot that can last like 10 years. Some shots also last for a longer period of time.
Here are some websites that can help you find out what travel injections you might need:
Travel Doctor – You can put in the country, where you are from and duration, and it gives you some automated information.
Again, as you have heard many times – there is no substitute for getting some real medical advice!
I’m out like travel injections,
Matt Ho.
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