Job Discussion Forums

sonbuenas2 · Joined: 20 Apr 2010 Posts: 23

Getting ready for departure, and wondered what (if any) immunizations you all got before coming to VN? I hear hepatitis and typhoid are the standard ones to get. For those of you in HCMC, how are the mosquitoes there? Are you all on malaria meds 24/7?

Thanks for any advice you might have!

snollygoster · Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 478

If you get shots and take medications for everything you might get in Vietnam, you will be a walking pharmacy, and perpetually sick from the side effects.
Most of us run the risk. I don't personally know of any one who ever got any of those bad things, but I must admit to malaria, but I had it already when I came here.

MrMrLuckyKhan · Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 12:20 am Post subject:

get your hep A and hep B shots, typhoid, and make sure your tetanus shot is up to date..... Don't forget that the hep shots are given 2 or 3 times each several months apart, so u'll have to get the latter ones in HCMC.

If you get any of these done before you leave your home country, they should give u a card to track these on if u let them know u're going out of the country.

The only people I hear of that take Malaria pills are tourists who talk to their doctor before taking a 2-week holiday and their doctor thinks they should ingest every chemical known to man before leaving Western soil.

I live in Phnom Penh, so it's a little more common to hear of Westerners who have gotten these easily preventable diseases....

And there's no vaccine for Dengue Fever, so try not to get bit by those city-dwelling skeeters. I've also heard it's good to get the Japanese B Encephalitis.....

An ounce of prevention is worth.......

CThomas · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 380 Location: HCMC, Vietnam

As for Malaria, it's up in Western Cambodia/NE Vietnam. The odds of getting it here in HCMC (if that's where you're going) are tiny now: not worth the crazy meds you have to take to prevent it. Nobody I know is taking those.

We should have some sort of accurate skeeter report hooked up to CDC (or equivalent) data to show the patterns of cases and their movement. But, from what I understand, it's all up north east of here.

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banksider · Joined: 30 Jun 2010 Posts: 6 Location: London/HCMC

Japanese encephalitis and rabies are a good idea too if you want to be fully protected. Hep A and B are the absolute must haves however.

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

but in HCMC, it seems to me that we really do not have the flying insects I would expect. It is my wild guess that the air is so toxic that it knocks them off. Anyone have some hard info on this? I am amazed how few flies I see on the hanging meat and all. Roaches seem to doing fine, but they are tough son of a guns.

BrentBlack · Joined: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 96 Location: Quan 3, Saigon

Minella · Joined: 22 Aug 2010 Posts: 37 Location: Turkey

I just had a job offer from a school in Vietnam. I asked the school about having any shots but they said I won't need to have any shots. I still want to be on the safe side though...I have had hepatitis shot 3 years ago, I think it stays in the system for 5 years max. What I also found strange is that they don't really bother if your health background is clean. Now I am a bit scared about all this!
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Minella · Joined: 22 Aug 2010 Posts: 37 Location: Turkey

Are there a lot of roches? oh gosh!! hate them!! Not sure if they can beat the ones in Gold Coast, Australia though...they freakin fly around

snollygoster · Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 478

I'm from the Gold Coast too. Roaches there are like monsters!
Vietnam has roaches, just like everywhere-if they freal you out better leave the planet because they are everywhere. I have to admit I have not seen so many here as I did on the Gold Coast however.
I havent been home in a long time, so if you are coming to Hanoi-PM me- love to hear how "home" is doing.

Minella · Joined: 22 Aug 2010 Posts: 37 Location: Turkey

Yes they are terrible there in Gold Coast!! I don't even wanna remember my memories with them. I literally moved home just for those ugly things lol
I am not Australian but I lived in Gold Coast for 2 years. I will be coming to HaiPhong very soon, I think it is close to Hanoi? so yea for sure I let you know...I am glad there aren't that many roaches there. I have heart attack every time I see one Smile

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snollygoster · Joined: 04 Jun 2009 Posts: 478

Haiphong is about 2-3 hrs by bus from Hanoi. I have a friend who teachehes fukll-time in Haiphong and comes up to Hanopi on week-ends to do some under the table teaching and visit his girl-friend. So its not so far really.Probably cleaner than Hanoi, and certainly less traffic. Good luck.

Minella · Joined: 22 Aug 2010 Posts: 37 Location: Turkey

Nice one!! Thank you Smile

BrentBlack · Joined: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 96 Location: Quan 3, Saigon

Boy these are expensive! I wonder if they are much cheaper in Vietnam? I will definitely start my HEP A and B and complete my Typhoid vaccinations before I leave, but I think I will get Rabies and Japanese Encephalitis once on the ground. Bad Idea? What are the risks of actually contracting one of these diseases?

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sonbuenas2 · Joined: 20 Apr 2010 Posts: 23

I don't think getting your shots here is a bad idea at all. I got nothing before I came and just started to get all of mine here. I found the Hep shots to be slightly cheaper here, and the Encephalitis vac to be MUCH cheaper. They don't recommend rabies unless you have a pet, but I may get it anyways. The chances of getting JE or Rabies are super slim, but the effects of either are as bad as it gets.

PM me if you want me to point you to where I got mine.