What vaccinations will I need to travel to South Korea?

Question

Do you know, or do you know of a place I can go to find out?

Answer 1

These are the recommended vaccinations:
* Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG). Transmission of hepatitis A virus can occur through direct person-to-person contact; through exposure to contaminated water, ice, or shellfish harvested in contaminated water; or from fruits, vegetables, or other foods that are eaten uncooked and that were contaminated during harvesting or subsequent handling.
* Hepatitis B, especially if you might be exposed to blood or body fluids (for example, health-care workers), have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment. Hepatitis B vaccine is now recommended for all infants and for children ages 11–12 years who did not receive the series as infants.
* Japanese encephalitis, if you plan to visit rural farming areas and under special circumstances, such as a known outbreak of Japanese encephalitis.
* Malaria: if you are traveling to a malaria-risk area in this region, see your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug. For details concerning risk and preventive medications, see Malaria Information for Travelers to East Asia.
* Rabies, if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas, such as might occur during camping, hiking, or bicycling, or engaging in certain occupational activities.
* Typhoid, particularly if you are visiting developing countries in this region. Typhoid fever can be contracted through contaminated drinking water or food, or by eating food or drinking beverages that have been handled by a person who is infected. Large outbreaks are most often related to fecal contamination of water supplies or foods sold by street vendors
* As needed, booster doses for tetanus-diphtheria and measles.

Answer 2

Depending on how long you are planning on being here.
If its a short time, I don't see any need for it.
TB is still a problem here, but Koreans are vaccinated against it, and im not sure that they recommend you to get it or not. I dont think I have.

Hep A and Hep B not prevalent, but useful to have in any country.

It's not as germy and dirty as some other countries.
Might pay to bring some anasthetic throat spray or lozenges, as the pollution can play havoc with your throat when you first arrive.

Any travel doctor will be able to guide you as to what you need, but in all honesty I think they tend to 'over prescribe.' If you arent going to be traveling to derelict remote places, I think you would be safe in most areas.

Most dangerous thing in Korea is crossing the road. Pedestrian crossings are just for decoration.

Answer 3

I think there is no requirement to do so. I would do TB but other than that you should be fine. I have been to South Korea so many times and never checked on vaccinations

Answer 4

Before I came, I got Hep A, Hep B and polio, all of which was reccommend by the U.S. government (I can't remember the website, but it was the U.S. Dept of Health).
I already was up-to-date on the Tetnus shot, or else I would have got that too.

You do NOT need to get a Malaria shot, unless you plan to go to the countryside and wade through rice fields. (P.S. I'm in Munsan, which is considered by Seoulites to be the countryside, and it's completely city-like; not at all like the countryside I was thinking.)

I would check out the Dept of State website and see what they have to say... but I think you don't need any more than those 4 basic shots :)

Answer 5

The same you would need for visiting any other country, South Korea isn't as dirty as you think it is.