Vaccination Requirements

Jaycey01 Active member

42POSTS

11 years ago

Hi again!

We鈥檒l be arriving in SL next month hoping to get our DHV and my wife is panicking already! She鈥檚 been on a health website () and thinks that we need vaccinations for Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles, Mumps, Rubella,聽 Polio etc.

Do expats in SL (Colombo) really need all these jabs? Seems a bit OTT to me.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

See also

Living in Colombo: the expat guide - Guide
Dream Home Visa Requirements - 3 Replies
Requirements of Filipina for Marriage - 7 Replies
Small business requirements - 10 Replies
Job & Visa Requirements - 1 Reply
is there a good dentist in Colombo? - 19 Replies
WheelChair hire in Colombo - 7 Replies

stumpy Laos Expert

18028POSTS

11 years ago

Short answer, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Jaycey01 Active member

42POSTS

11 years ago

I鈥檝e been looking at a few other sites and can鈥檛 help but feel that these vaccination advisors are on comm.

On checking requirements for the UK, US, Norway etc they all recommend jabs for Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Measles, Mumps, Rubella,聽 Polio etc.

Anyway my wife is now a little more relaxed but is still afraid she鈥檒l find a crocodile in the bath one morning. Presumably we can get a vaccination against croc bites?聽

Gravitas ViP

9040POSTS

11 years ago

Mosquitos are about the most dangerous thing you will find because of Dengue Fever. Even that is easily treatable and only if there are underlying chronic disease is it life threatening. In fact Mosquito bites are the only thing that puts me off SL because if they dont fog or spray, they can be rife, especially around the beautiful greenery everywhere.

1 member reacted to this post

Jaycey01 Active member

42POSTS

11 years ago

Yes, mossies aren鈥檛 nice 鈥� been through the whole malaria (& hepatitis) thing in Sumatra.

But I understand that being full time on anti malaria medication can be harmful to the liver (and eyesight?). A case of prevention being better than cure I suppose.

Gravitas ViP

9040POSTS

11 years ago

Malaria prophylaxis can have disgusting side effects and apparently Malaria is nearly eliminated in Sri Lanka with a minute fraction of cases compared to Dengue. I've heard that Skin-so-Soft by Avon is stupendous at avoiding bites and does not contain ghastly and toxic chemicals. I will be buying some.

Jaycey01 Active member

42POSTS

11 years ago

Thank you again Gravitas, good idea.

Does it work against crocs as well?

Gravitas ViP

9040POSTS

11 years ago

My "pet" hates are snakes and monkeys - so everytime I read on tourist sites about "the charming monkeys at the windows and on the verandah" I freak out.....

Guess on a related point, newcomers are very susceptible to local strains of common cold, flu, virus, etc. So washing hands or using those hand cleanser gels in bottles is a good idea. It usually takes a few years to develop the same immunity as the rest of the population..

Jaycey01 Active member

42POSTS

11 years ago

I don鈥檛 mind snakes so much as long as I see them before they see me. And presumably serum is available in hospitals and clinics.
Monkeys are another issue, nasty little creatures. In Cape Town our car was often attacked by troops of baboons with incisors bigger than a lion. But my pet hate? Hippos! Please don鈥檛 tell me that we鈥檙e likely to find hippos in the bath in Colombo聽

Gravitas ViP

9040POSTS

11 years ago

#10

Now Hippos are a VERY strange thing to be on the list. I guess the only threat is likely to be plastic ones..... But having said that my son has bad memories as we took him to whipsnade zoo when he was about 4 or 5 and one pee'd right in front of him and there was gazillions of the stuff - that rattled him !!

Jaycey01 Active member

42POSTS

11 years ago

#11

Hippos are the biggest killers in Africa. Not sure I even want a plastic one in the bath.

Gravitas ViP

9040POSTS

11 years ago

#12

Well you learn something every day !! I guess they are a pretty effective tank-like object as well. Thanks for the heads up !!

1 member reacted to this post

stumpy Laos Expert

18028POSTS

11 years ago

#13

My travel doctor recommended the following.
MMR- measles, mumps, rubella
diptheria-tetanus-pertussis
chicken pox
polio
yearly flu shot
Hep A聽
Hep B optional but recommended if getting tattoos, exchanging needles or having medical procedures done.聽聽
Rabies optional

As far as malaria treatment is concerned best to keep yourself covered up after dusk and first thing in morning. Trousers, long sleeved shirts. Oil of citronella is great.

Jaycey01 Active member

42POSTS

11 years ago

#14

Thanks for that Stumpy.
Having had measles, chickenpox (& mumps?) as a kid I can cross those off the list. Also malaria & hep B as an adult (I must find out if re-infection is possible). And I don鈥檛 drink so probably no tattoos likely聽

I can see that we鈥檒l have to find a local doctor when we arrive.
Meanwhile thanks everyone for the helpful advice & we look forward to meeting up with some of you next month.

ca2ca Member

22POSTS

11 years ago

#15

When my wife first came to Sri Lanka, family doctor gave her many pills for that and this. As a good German girl she followed his advice and after few days in SL she got sick. Headache, stomach pains. A SL doctor advised "her throw all these shit and drink a king coconuts (Thambili) daily, you will fine". And how fine she was after. We had a good holiday.

Have you ever consider how much your liver and kidney effect from all these shots and pills ?

Jaycey01 Active member

42POSTS

11 years ago

#16

Sounds good to me 鈥� I understand that toddy works as well.

I think we鈥檒l just stay with the flu jab.

Thanks

mal ViP

1508POSTS

11 years ago

#17

As a Sri Lankan I can advise you to get prevent only from mosquitoes.
Most foreigners use mosquito repellents.
Please try to eat only from tourist restaurants.
Drink only bottled water.
King coconut water and coconut water has healing and cooling ability.
Any fruits are ok but some can not eat a lot of pine-apples as it has a heaty condition
Malaria is only in dry zone.

1 member reacted to this post

Jaycey01 Active member

42POSTS

11 years ago

#18

Thanks Mal sensible suggestions that apply in most places together with washing fruit before eating etc..

It would be nice to experiment with local restaurants but a few years ago we foolishly accepted food wrapped in newspaper at a rail station and the results lasted more than a week. Not an experience to be repeated!

mal ViP

1508POSTS

11 years ago

#19

Not all the local restaurants are bad but some are terrible. You can guess what type of a restaurant it is, very easily. Ask them whether you can use their restroom- do this before you order their foods.

1 member reacted to this post