Most people who come to work and live in Indonesia are advised to have a set of vaccinations on top of childhood immunisations.
The majority of the vaccines will protect you for years to come, but some of the vaccines need further action!
Typhoid fever
This bacterial infection is caused by the Salmonella Typhi bacteria (food poisoning). Typhoid fever is highly contagious. The vaccine, however, is only valid for 3 years. Make sure your vaccine is still valid!
Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B
Make sure you have the full set of vaccinations! For Hepatitis A, you are supposed to have 2 or 3 vaccinations within a year or 18 months. This depends on the manufacturer of the vaccine. In case you are not sure, administering an extra vaccine against Hepatitis A will not be harmful. For Hepatitis B, it is also important that you complete the full series which is usually a series of three. If for some reason this is incomplete or if you are not sure it is a good idea to test if you are protected, such can be done by a blood test. This enables a wise decision on additional vaccination.
Rabies
If you are at risk of being exposed to possible bites or scratches from mammals (also think monkeys), you should protect yourself against rabies beforehand. This is especially important because, if you are not vaccinated, you need immunoglobulins which are almost impossible to purchase in Indonesia.
Immunoglobulins are some sort of instant antibodies and they are pricey too. If you are vaccinated against rabies already, you will not need these immunoglobulins. Please note that rabies is a potentially fatal disease. It is very important to protect yourself against rabies.
Flu vaccination
People whose ages are 6 months old and above can potentially be in a risk group for flu. The same applies to the ones who have chronic, respiratory, heart, kidney, or liver disease. If you suffer from diabetes, immunosuppression, or neurological disease, you should also protect yourself from this disease. If you are pregnant or over 65 years old, you are also qualified for flu vaccination. If you travel a lot and if you want to protect yourself against respiratory disease, receiving a flu vaccination is highly recommended.
A booster against DTP is recommended every 10 years!
For those who have spent years in Southeast Asia, a booster against Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis (whooping cough) is recommended. This is usually given every 10 years. Thus, if you have not received any vaccinations in the past 10 years aside from COVID-19 vaccines, you are probably due to receive the DTP vaccination.
Vaccination against Dengue
There is now a dengue vaccine on the market. It is safe to have it regardless of whether you have had dengue fever before. The dengue vaccination protects against all 4 different types of dengue. You need 2 vaccines to protect yourself for up to 5 years against dengue. It can prevent hospitalisation as well.
Japanese Encephalitis
If you are travelling in the eastern part of Indonesia or other parts of Southeast Asia, it will be good to protect yourself against Japanese Encephalitis. This illness spreads via mosquito bites and can be fatal. Usually, you just need one vaccine to protect you.
This list is not complete. For any tailored advice regarding vaccination, it is advised to speak to your doctor. Our advice is to always identify a clinic that you are comfortable with. At Good Practice Clinic, we are happy to discuss your needs. Our Good Practice Pharmacy also carries quality vaccines.
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