Vaccinations remain the most reliable means of protecting against dangerous diseases. Tourists go to Vietnam for wonderful experiences, and in order for the trip not to be overshadowed by dangerous health consequences, you must first inquire about the epidemiological situation in the country. Vaccination will not take much time, but will help preserve life and health.
How dangerous is it to travel?
Vietnam is a country in which there are no “mass” diseases and various epidemics.
You can learn about the standard of living and prices in Vietnam from the article on our website.
You should not be afraid to vacation in this country if you are going to:
- Nha Trang.
- Ho Chi Minh City.
- Hanoi.
- Dalat.
- Phu Quoc.
- Vung Tau.
- Phan Thiet.
The chance of getting sick while vacationing in these places is 3–5%, so vaccinations are not needed.
In rural areas of Vietnam, the disease situation is more alarming. The risk of “catching” a dangerous infectious disease varies from 40 to 80%.
Insects are carriers of parasitic and infectious pathologies. They are the ones who pose a serious danger.
Author and owner of the site Boris Sokolov on vacation in Nha Trang:
Medicines
More or less detail about tablets and ointments that can be useful on vacation was written earlier. In order not to repeat myself too much: we take the simplest drugs like activated carbon, smecta, mezim, hydrogen peroxide with us. As well as bactericidal plasters in case of scratches and cuts.
We leave everything else, including antibiotics, at home - self-medication in Vietnam is more expensive. If only because chills and fever, which in Russia are harbingers of an ordinary, unremarkable acute respiratory viral infection, in Southeast Asia can be symptoms of a much more serious disease.
- If you feel really unwell, do not hesitate, consult a doctor using the insurance policy purchased in advance!
Common diseases
The most dangerous diseases that you can “catch” while traveling in rural Vietnam are:
Yellow fever.
Acute hemorrhagic disease. Has a viral etiology. The main vectors are mosquitoes of the Aedes and Haemogogus species. A specific symptom is an increase in general temperature to 40 degrees. This happens on the third day.
Hepatitis A.
Liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus. Infection occurs through contact with an infected person, as well as through consumption of untreated water and food. Initial symptoms are nonspecific.
Dengue fever.
Acute transmissible viral disease. The disease is transmitted by the yellow fever mosquito, which bites only during the daytime. The pathology is characterized by a sudden onset and extremely aggressive course. One of the specific symptoms is pain and aches in the joints and bones.
Typhoid fever.
Acute cyclical intestinal anthroponotic infection caused by the bacteria Salmonella typhi. The pathology is transmitted through the fecal-oral route.
Rotavirus.
Infectious pathology provoked by rotaviruses. The main symptoms are chills and body aches.
Malaria.
A vector-borne infectious pathology that is transmitted to humans through the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito.
The most dangerous of all these diseases are typhoid fever and dengue fever.
Several deaths were recorded. One of them even received wide publicity in the media: a young man from Russia died from Dengue fever, and serious problems arose when transporting the body from Vietnam.
Air travel and customs
Check-in for the flight begins two hours before the plane departs; before boarding, you must undergo customs inspection; be sure to keep the completed declaration until your return. Amount over $3,000 must be declared, gold and jewelry over 300 grams. are also subject to declaration.
It is advisable to keep all expense accounts and receipts until the customs inspection at the exit, since when exporting electronic equipment at customs they will be forced to pay duties. You can export up to 2 liters of alcoholic beverages, 3 kg, coffee, 5 kg, tea, 400 cigarettes, a limited amount of perfume products, duty-free; the exported goods should not exceed $300 or 5 million dong (the national currency of the Vietnamese).
Basic vaccinations
The Vietnamese authorities do not make any requirement to get vaccinated. It is necessary to undergo this procedure if a person is an active traveler and intends to move inland.
Vaccinations are also required if children are traveling to Vietnam.
Read on our website: the procedure for obtaining a visa upon arrival in Vietnam in 2021.
The required vaccinations for a trip to Vietnam are presented in the table:
| Pathology | Why put | What vaccine is needed |
| Rabies | It is necessary to get vaccinated if a person plans to vacation away from civilization - where there are many animals, including bats. Anyone who does not plan to leave the hotel premises does not need to be vaccinated. | KOKAV. Antibodies begin to be produced 14 days after vaccination, and after 30–40 days their concentration reaches its peak. |
| Hepatitis A | Absolutely everyone needs to be vaccinated. You need to get vaccinated 1 month before your trip. | Live attenuated vaccines are given. Immunity develops within 15–20 days. |
| Japanese encephalitis | Vaccination is necessary if a person plans to travel in rural areas. The vaccination is given 30 days before departure. | Live attenuated vaccine using cell culture, prepared based on the SA 14-14-2 strain of the JE virus. |
| Tetanus | The vaccine is given once every 10 years. It is recommended to look at your vaccination card before traveling. | Tetanus toxoid. |
Dengue fever vaccination
In December 2015, information appeared about a vaccine based on the Dengvaxia vaccine. It was reported that this vaccine can protect a traveler from all 4 strains of a dangerous disease. This is wrong.
Judging by the information on the WHO website, the vaccine is used only locally, on local residents, and only where there is a real epidemiological threat.
Travelers from Russia do not fall into this category.
You can read about research about the vaccine by following the link.
In Russia, they do not vaccinate against dengue fever - this is done only locally, in Vietnam.
The effectiveness of vaccination depends on the following factors:
- strain;
- person's age;
- serological status.
On average, the effectiveness of vaccination is 53%.
Boris Sokolov
The owner of the website and visa agency has been to 49 countries. Travels and lives abroad regularly.
It is recommended to get such a vaccination if a person goes to Vietnam not for vacation, but to work or study.
There is no guarantee that vaccination will prevent you from getting sick. At the same time, it can significantly alleviate the course of a dangerous disease.
Excursions
Getting stuck in Vietnamese resorts for the entire vacation period is completely wrong. Because in this way it is difficult to feel the exoticism of this country. But you shouldn’t go to extremes, trying to travel around the whole country in a two-week period - new sensations are not always entirely positive.
A reasonable compromise: explore the surrounding area on your own or together with a Russian-speaking guide. Already 20 km from the center of any resort, authenticity and exoticism are in full swing. And if you dare to travel for a day or two, you will have enough impressions until your next vacation!
© dik, Eurotraveler.ru
Contents of a tourist's first aid kit
You must take the following medications with you:
- Medicines intended for the treatment and prevention of malaria. Chloridine is effective against erythrocyte forms of all types of pathogens. Fansidar is a synthetic antibiotic. Effects – antimalarial, antiprotozoal.
- Antihistamines. Erius - the main effects are antipruritic, antiallergic, H1-antihistamine. Claritin is the active substance loratadine. A powerful antipruritic drug.
- Analgesics and antipyretics. Paracetamol belongs to the group of anilides. Effects: analgesic, antipyretic. Saridon - the main component is propyphenazone. Effect – antipyretic, analgesic.
- Remedies for gastrointestinal disorders. Rehydron - restores water-electrolyte and acid-base balance and Enterofuril - broad-spectrum antimicrobial effect.
These drugs can only be used as prescribed by a doctor.
Transfer
Tourists are met in the arrival hall by representatives of the company that sold you the tour. The guide marks each arrival on his list, answers all questions while walking to the hotel and introduces foreigners (Russians) to the rules of staying in an unfamiliar country. On the eve of departure, the guide informs you about the return transfer.
Often, during the process of accommodation at a hotel, in matters of service or due to any unforeseen situations, complications arise, the tourist has the right to use the phone number indicated in the voucher or contact the guide. Remember the addresses and numbers of the Russian Embassy in the Republic of Vietnam and the Consular Section of the Embassy, you also need to know the emergency phone numbers: police - 113, ambulance - 115 and fire department - 114.
Travel tips
Not all travelers are pro-vaccine.
Their advice looks like this:
- before leaving, you need to take out full insurance for yourself, without deductibles;
- Avoid drinking tap water; it is advisable to drink only high-quality bottled water. You should not drink water from springs, even if the water seems “crystal clear”;
- be sure to use Levomycetin, Bifidumbacterin, or their analogues;
- You should not get vaccinated 2 weeks before departure - during this time antibodies will not have time to form. Another risk is sudden climate change, which can negatively affect weakened immunity.
Security measures
- Drink only bottled water, opening the bottle yourself - no “watering holes” at pumps or springs. Even in large hotels, do not order drinks with ice.
- Be wary of street food - in pursuit of local exotics, you should not go to the extreme, buying food from mobile trays or in cafes where sanitary standards are clearly not observed.
- Wash your hands regularly and additionally use a disinfectant spray or gel.
- Wash vegetables and fruits thoroughly and carefully remove the peels.
- Every day, especially in the evening, use local repellents that are more effective against local insects. When checking into a hotel, check for mosquito nets on the windows.
- Swim only where other tourists do. Local residents have innate or acquired immunity to many infections, so you should not rely on them. Do not visit “wild” beaches.
- Carefully monitor your health for the first 2-3 months after returning from Vietnam - some diseases have an incubation period, and as they develop, they disguise themselves as harmless ailments.
It also makes sense to purchase health insurance, which will protect you from additional expenses in the event of health problems, injuries, or accidents. These simple precautions will help you avoid many diseases or notice them in time. You should follow these recommendations regardless of whether you have been vaccinated or not.
