Korean Job Discussion Forums

[superdave]

i did a search, but couldn't find an answer.

i need to get hep A/B and yellow fever. not for korea, but for abroad ... i hit the road in about 7 months. so i have a 6 month window to get my hep A/B shots done.

i'm not going to bother with other shots, cause i don't think they're worth it.

as for malaria, i'm planning on carrying Chloroquine which i can take in weekly doses for up to 5 years.

here's some questions:

1. anyone know a good hospital or physician? a place where they'd be able to give hep A/B shots and yellow fever (i heard not all hospitals carry the vaccines).

2. does my korean health insurance cover it?

3. is it worth getting other shots? like rabies? i don't think so, but i'd like to hear other opinions.

cheers

david
www.davidsmeaton.com

[moosehead]

[superdave]

lol ... i'm amazed i've been in korea and never picked up hep A or B. had a health check about a month ago, and i'm fine as a fiddle!

but if you're saying 50k per shot, then i'm thinking that's reasonable. hep A and B are 2 shots each, over 6 months. 200k all up. i can cop to that.

however i am surprised that yellow fever is difficult to get here. but then again, i suppose not many koreans go to africa ...

i will be heading there, but i'm thinking that i can get yellow fever somewhere else. i'll be in europe and other more civilised countries before i head to africa. i could get a yellow fever shot then. i don't want to head all the way to incheon for one injection.

i might do some looking around. see if there's anywhere else i can get it here.

a friend of mine (who is in medicine) said that each gu's city hall also has a community health centre. he said i should be able to get all my shots there, and probably cheaper than a regular clinic or hospital, cause there's less profit figured into the price.

i'll head there next saturday and report back on how i went.

i agree about rabies. i've been told to forget about it, unless i get bitten by a big salivating dog. lol ... the doc said i can get it retroactively and that's just as good.

[Bibbitybop]

I always recommend Severance Hospital's International Clinic next to Yonsei U. Western medicine, Western standards trained and English-speaking staff. They will be able to handle all your questions.

About rabies: There is ONE place that sells the vaccine in Korea. Severance knows the place, it's near Gangnam or Jamsil. The 4 or so vials will run you 300,000 won! Maybe wait until you need it!

[moosehead]

again - the yellow fever is sold only at a special travelers' clinic in Incheon - I know because I was given the phone number a couple of years ago when I was getting ready to go to Africa - Severance Hospital is the one who gave it to me.

I think yellow fever vaccine is probably expensive or something - anyway, not that many Ks actually go to Africa - or the places rather where it's found (Kenya comes to mind, I think, maybe Uganda?)

btw, I bought a good mosquito net in Africa that I pack w/me everywhere now but I couldn't find the ones treated w/repellant which are recommended for malaria zones. You might want to try and find one of those first before you head out.

happy trails - Africa is incredible - totally worth it, especially the stars at night.

[sojusucks]

I have found singular Hep B injections for 18,000 Won each (outside of Seoul) from a general practicioner (doctor) and at a hospital. I have never checked the price in Seoul.

[superdave]

[moosehead]

I'd be wary of anyone hawking cheap vaccinations - this is one's liver we are talking about protecting!!

the dr I paid 50,000 won for was not in Seoul - and not a big clinic either.

would check out their rep first - there was a scandal a couple of years ago about 2 pharmacists here in cahoots giving people the wrong meds, weaking it down, and using expired drugs to make a profit off of cancer patients. some of the people died.

corruption is everywhere.

[superdave]

this morning i visited the public health centre near my house. it's government run and connected to the local district "Gu" city hall.

i got some very good information. they confirmed that:

only 2 or 3 places in korea give yellow fever injections.

hepatitis A injections need to be done at a public hospital.

the public health centres can do hepatitis B injections.

so, this morning i got my first hep B jab. there are 3 in the series, over 6 months (1st, 2nd and 6th month injections). so, i go back in 30 days for jab #2.

the cost ... 3,400 won. no typo! the cost was $3.40. that's too freaking cheap!

however, the single page form was in korean, so most foreigners would need a korean speaker to help fill out the details. the details were routine though; name, address, are you pregnant, allergies, etc.

they never asked for ID. i just showed my national health paper to prove i am covered.

i paid my 3,400 won, they jabbed me, i left.

[superdave]

update:

http://www.nmc.go.kr/

here's the place in seoul (near dongdaemun) that can do numerous vaccinations, including yellow fever and typhoid.

the yellow fever injection is 21,000 won.

bookings are essential, as is a korean speaker to help make the booking (by phone or via their site).

for those interested in getting details about vaccines for traveling, this site is pretty good: http://www.traveldoctor.co.uk/vaccines.htm

[moosehead]

wow - that really is cheap - I wonder if it's because Hep B has been spreading so rapidly here (what I've heard and a dr said also) ?

good for you then -

also you can check www.cdc.gov and go to the traveler's page - make sure you do - there is sometimes more specific info regarding certain diseases in specific countries - that is, if you look elsewhere on the site it's pertaining to Americans in America, whereas on the traveler's page it will be specific for travelers in whichever country is being discussed.

I went round and round about this w/another poster once, he just didn't get it -

[stevieg4ever]

I started them 1 month ago. I am going to China and SE Asia.

Rabies can only be done at international clinics as far as I know and that costs about 300,000 won.

I am surprised you have not mentioned Japanese Encephilitis (where are you going by the way?) as that is one of the most important. Can be done in one shot here, I got mine for 30,000 won.

Hep A and hep B should not be 50,000 a shot won. You may want to look into that more.

I am in the boonies of Korea (no joke, even Koreans haven't heard of where I am) and managed to get Japanese E and Hep B.

[superdave]

thanks for the info stevie

update is that i have had my 2nd hep B shot (3,400 won per shot so far).

got my first hep A shot last week. it cost me 40,000 won. ironically, i got it done at a children's hospital. they have a lot of vaccinations that other hospitals don't carry.

re: Japanese Encephilitis, i've been advised by a western doctor that it's not necessary. so i wasn't going to waste the time/money.

how much did you pay for Jap E ?? why do you think it's worth getting?

[jlb]

You can get the yellow fever done at Incheon Airport (2nd level...near the post office). It was 16 000 won, if I remember correctly. Open M-F, 9-5 or something like that.

[4seasons]

The poster who mentioned the place at Namdaemoon is right on the money. Have a Korean friend call in advance to make a reservation for you because not every type of vaccination is done on the same day.