No vaccinations are mandatory for travel to any Southeast Asian country (unless you have been outside Spain in the last month in a country with yellow fever). However, this does not mean it is not advisable to get vaccinated against several diseases as a preventive measure.
Why Vaccination is Important
The three reasons for getting vaccinated are as follows:
Because you are traveling to areas with less developed healthcare systems
Keep in mind that in less developed countries, any illness becomes more dangerous for two significant reasons:
- The country’s healthcare system is less developed than any Western country, meaning there may be diseases present that have already been eradicated in our country.
- Should you contract any of these diseases or viruses, healthcare services may not be adequately prepared to treat you correctly or in a timely manner, or you may even need to travel to other areas of the country where developed hospitals can offer treatment.
To avoid overburdening our healthcare system
In addition to the two previous reasons, which are purely focused on your own health and avoiding the risks of falling ill in distant countries, vaccination is also highly recommended for the sheer efficiency of the healthcare system: the cost of a vaccine is, on average, about fifty times less than the cost of treatment to cure the same disease. Therefore, OneMoreDestination recommends that you get vaccinated to avoid inefficiently burdening the public healthcare system.
To avoid putting those around you at risk
Finally, not getting vaccinated can also pose a risk to your family and friends upon your return: you may bring diseases with you that, while not life-threatening for you or anyone else, will require those individuals to seek treatment. It is foolish to put others at risk simply by not getting vaccinated.
Speak with your doctor
Before traveling, visit your general practitioner and ask for their vaccination recommendations for the country you will be visiting. Although some vaccinations may be optional (depending on whether you will be moving through urban or rural areas, etc.) and they will surely tell you which ones are strictly necessary, the vaccinations we recommend for travel to Vietnam are the following:
Recommended Vaccinations for Vietnam
Most vaccinations for Vietnam were already administered to you as a child and adolescent, although it is advisable to pay attention to the following:
- Hepatitis A and B. The most common strains of hepatitis can be contracted through contaminated food. Although some of the population suffers from it and eliminates it without apparent discomfort and without knowing it, it is foolish to overload your liver with hepatic inflammation if you can avoid it.
- Tetanus (if you have recently had a booster shot, vaccination may not be necessary).
- Typhoid Fever
Information on Malaria and antimalarial treatment: Although decades ago malaria prophylaxis was highly recommended for travel to Vietnam, this disease has been practically eradicated from the country for years. It is only an option to consider if you are going trekking through jungle or swamp areas and will be there for several weeks, a type of trip that is not too common and is undertaken by a very specialized and specific profile of travelers such as nature photographers, scientists, and explorers. In any other case, and for the conventional traveler, antimalarials are not recommended due to the side effects they cause, which can prevent you from fully enjoying your trip.
For any questions, you can find more information about purchasing travel insurance for Southeast Asia.
