Advice On Hepatitus B Vaccination & Travel Insurance Please, First Time Traveller

[JoshEmotion]

Hello all,

I'm a first time traveller to Thailand. I booked a last minute 10 week flight last week and stupidly didn't do any research into vaccinations. I can't change my flight times either. I fly next week.

I've had all the standard jabs from my GP, but the main one I havnt had that I'm a little worried about is Hepatitus B. I'm not too concerned about rabies as I don't plan to go off the beaten track, and I've been adviced I can use repellent spray from Mozzies.

If the chance came about I was hoping to have some contact with the local girls. I've heard theres a risk of infection though kissing? Should I be worried? I'm planninig on going to Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya mainly, with a 2 week trip to Malayasia in between.

How high risk are these places? and is it possible to get vaccinated at one of these places while I'm out there? My doc said it's a 3 week course, and I would be happy to avoid contact with locals during that time.

I was also planning on doing some Jet Skiing and maybe Parachuting, wheres the best place to get travel insurance for this?

Thanks for your help in advance!

Josh

[JoshEmotion]

double post

[gk10002000]

You should get hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccination. There is a common shot sequence that combines both. I had it 4 years ago in preparation for my first trip abroad. A should be done for almost any country even your homeland as there are a lot of food borne ways to get A. B is a good idea if you may ever potentially come into contact with a blood supply.

I have bought travel insurance my first 6 times but did not bother after that. I have american blue cross and blue shield that will reimurse my emergency expenses. Travel insurance is cheap, but every one I found DID NOT, I repeat DID NOT pay on the spot in Thailand. The websites have pages and pages of stuff, but the fine print is they do not put up the money and pay the Thais! You must pay, and file a claim with the insurance company. In addition, there is often fine print that says the insurance is "secondary" to your primary insurance. So in my case, the travel insurance will only pay what Blue Cross does not pay!

So that being said, I defer to others that have found a good temporary travel insurance policy that they can buy in advance of leaving their home country that actually Pays the Thai medical people instead of you having to put up money.

PS. 10 year Tetanis booster shot is probably a good idea too. That applies universally whether you travel or not.

[Prakanong]

Yes there is a combo shot A and B called Twinrix from GSK - I do not know if that can be accerlerated - and there are no Dr's out close by to ask - all out to lunch

For the single Hep B vaccine though you can accelerate the doses - usually its 0 - 1 - 3

Accelertae to 1 month for all is possible but that still leaves you short.

If really worried get the initial jab now at home - get the next one week later in Thailand and the last after a month - with this accelerated method you may need another jab in a year.

[Jimjim]

It takes at least 6 months to get full vaccinated for Hep. A and B. Hep A is 2 shots and the second should follow at least six months or more later. Hep. B is 3 shots and the second should come at least month or two or more after the first and the second and third shots should be separated by at least 2 months. So, if you're coming to Thailand next week you could start and get the first of each and that does give you some immunity but not complete immunity. Once you finish the whole series of both vaccines you'd be fully protected.

Can you get Hepatitis from kissing? Don't think so, bro. Very unlikely.

[tw25rw]

If the chance came about I was hoping to have some contact with the local girls.

.

Maybe if you are really lucky, you might meet a local girl... But it's a long slow process breaking through their shyness. Especially in Pattaya.

I've heard theres a risk of infection though kissing?

More like from rimming in the case of hepatitis.

[JoshEmotion]

thanks for all your advice and help people, very much appreciated, I'm now in Thailand and am having a great time!