How to Get Immunized Before Traveling to Thailand
Call your primary doctor., Get routine vaccinations., Make an appointment with a travel clinic., Identify any medical precautions you should take before you go., Get a Hepatitis A, B, and a typhoid vaccine., Get a malaria vaccine., Consider getting...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Call your primary doctor.
Make an appointment with your primary doctor.
Let them know about your travel plans to Thailand.
Your primary care doctor may be able to provide the vaccinations you need, but if not, then he/she can refer you to a travel clinic.
If you do not have a primary doctor, local health departments also sometimes provide travel vaccinations, or they can recommend a clinic to you.Because some immunizations take longer to complete, make an appointment with your doctor at least 4 to 6 weeks beforehand, though two months is ideal, to ensure that the immunizations are in effect when you travel to Thailand.
Have your doctor send your medical history records to the travel clinic so they have them on file when you arrive for your appointment.
This is especially important for people who are taking medications for diseases or illnesses.
You can find a list of health departments and travel medical clinics on the CDC’s website: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/find-clinic -
Step 2: Get routine vaccinations.
Confirm with your doctor that you are up-to-date on routine vaccinations.
These vaccinations include, but are not limited to:
Measles, Mumps, Rubella Chicken pox Tetanus Polio Flu shot , Contact one of the travel clinics provided by your doctor, and make an appointment as soon as possible.
There are no special preparations required before making an appointment.
A travel clinic will provide all the necessary information and vaccines for your specific destination, in this case Thailand.
If you do not have an International Certificate of Vaccination (ICV), one will be filled out properly and given to you at your appointment.Appointment costs vary from state to state and will depend upon the vaccinations you choose to receive.
Even if you were born in Thailand, you will still need to get vaccinated.
It only takes a short amount of time for people born in foreign countries to lose their natural antibodies once they leave their country of origin., Check to see if there are any additional health precautions that you need to take before you leave due to an outbreak or other emergency.
You can find these recommendations by checking CDC or WHO websites: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list http://www.who.int/countries/tha/en/ , These three vaccines are recommended for all travelers.
Hepatitis A and typhoid can be contracted through contaminated food and water.
Hepatitis B can be contracted through sexual contact, as well as dirty needles, i.e., needles used for tattoos, piercings, and medical procedures., If you are spending a lot of time outdoors or sleeping outside get the malaria vaccine.
Also, if you are visiting provinces in Thailand that border Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, especially the forest or forest fringe areas in these provinces, consider getting the malaria vaccine., If you are visiting Thailand during the rainy seasons (mid-May to mid-November), planning to stay for more than a month, spend a lot of time outdoors (adventure travel, hiking, backpacking, etc.), or visit rural/remote areas then consider getting this vaccine., If you are a veterinarian or wildlife professional/researcher, and/or if you will be spending a lot of time with wild animals or staying in remote areas, consider getting this vaccine.
Also, because children tend to play with animals and are less likely to report an animal bite, consider getting a preventative rabies vaccination for your child if you are traveling with children., The government of Thailand requires proof of the yellow fever vaccination if you are arriving from a country with a risk of yellow fever (the U.S. is not included as a risk country).
If your flight has a layover and you are required to de-plane in an at-risk country, it is recommended that you get this vaccine.
If this applies to you, you need to visit an authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center for this shot., Cholera is active in some parts of Thailand, so you may also want to get a cholera vaccine before you leave for your trip.
The risk is not high for travelers, but if you contract cholera then the illness can be severe., The cost of immunizations and vaccinations is becoming increasingly expensive.
If you’re on a budget, first check if your doctor administers the vaccines before you go to a travel clinic.
At a travel clinic, a consultation fee can range from $50 to $100, and the cost of vaccinations can range from $10 to $150 or more, and some vaccinations require as many as three shots.
For example, a Japanese Encephalitis vaccination typically costs $450 to $800 total.Your local public health department might offer discounted rates on travel vaccines., Check with your health insurance company to see what is covered by your policy.
Health insurance companies do not provide coverage for some travel vaccinations, and at times provide zero coverage.
For a person who is covered, the typical expenses include a co-pay of $10 to $40 for the doctor visit, and co-pays for the vaccinations.Remember to get a copy of your receipt from the travel clinic so you can submit a claim to your insurance company.
Your insurance company may reimburse you for some of the costs.Medicare does not cover any vaccines or medicines for foreign travel., In order to ensure that your immunizations are in effect when you travel, get immunized before you travel.
This way you can prevent getting sick while traveling abroad.
If you are in the situation where you were immunized only three weeks or less from your departure date, consider buying supplemental health insurance for traveling abroad.
U.S. health plans do not cover international travel.
This insurance will cover medical costs abroad and emergency evacuations.
Foreign hospitals and doctors often require payment in cash, and emergency medical evacuations can be very expensive, costing up to $100,000. -
Step 3: Make an appointment with a travel clinic.
-
Step 4: Identify any medical precautions you should take before you go.
-
Step 5: Get a Hepatitis A
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Step 6: and a typhoid vaccine.
-
Step 7: Get a malaria vaccine.
-
Step 8: Consider getting a Japanese Encephalitis vaccine.
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Step 9: Think about getting a rabies vaccine.
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Step 10: Get a yellow fever vaccine.
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Step 11: Get a cholera vaccine.
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Step 12: Calculate your budget.
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Step 13: Review your insurance policy.
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Step 14: Get immunized before you travel.
Detailed Guide
Make an appointment with your primary doctor.
Let them know about your travel plans to Thailand.
Your primary care doctor may be able to provide the vaccinations you need, but if not, then he/she can refer you to a travel clinic.
If you do not have a primary doctor, local health departments also sometimes provide travel vaccinations, or they can recommend a clinic to you.Because some immunizations take longer to complete, make an appointment with your doctor at least 4 to 6 weeks beforehand, though two months is ideal, to ensure that the immunizations are in effect when you travel to Thailand.
Have your doctor send your medical history records to the travel clinic so they have them on file when you arrive for your appointment.
This is especially important for people who are taking medications for diseases or illnesses.
You can find a list of health departments and travel medical clinics on the CDC’s website: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/find-clinic
Confirm with your doctor that you are up-to-date on routine vaccinations.
These vaccinations include, but are not limited to:
Measles, Mumps, Rubella Chicken pox Tetanus Polio Flu shot , Contact one of the travel clinics provided by your doctor, and make an appointment as soon as possible.
There are no special preparations required before making an appointment.
A travel clinic will provide all the necessary information and vaccines for your specific destination, in this case Thailand.
If you do not have an International Certificate of Vaccination (ICV), one will be filled out properly and given to you at your appointment.Appointment costs vary from state to state and will depend upon the vaccinations you choose to receive.
Even if you were born in Thailand, you will still need to get vaccinated.
It only takes a short amount of time for people born in foreign countries to lose their natural antibodies once they leave their country of origin., Check to see if there are any additional health precautions that you need to take before you leave due to an outbreak or other emergency.
You can find these recommendations by checking CDC or WHO websites: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list http://www.who.int/countries/tha/en/ , These three vaccines are recommended for all travelers.
Hepatitis A and typhoid can be contracted through contaminated food and water.
Hepatitis B can be contracted through sexual contact, as well as dirty needles, i.e., needles used for tattoos, piercings, and medical procedures., If you are spending a lot of time outdoors or sleeping outside get the malaria vaccine.
Also, if you are visiting provinces in Thailand that border Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, especially the forest or forest fringe areas in these provinces, consider getting the malaria vaccine., If you are visiting Thailand during the rainy seasons (mid-May to mid-November), planning to stay for more than a month, spend a lot of time outdoors (adventure travel, hiking, backpacking, etc.), or visit rural/remote areas then consider getting this vaccine., If you are a veterinarian or wildlife professional/researcher, and/or if you will be spending a lot of time with wild animals or staying in remote areas, consider getting this vaccine.
Also, because children tend to play with animals and are less likely to report an animal bite, consider getting a preventative rabies vaccination for your child if you are traveling with children., The government of Thailand requires proof of the yellow fever vaccination if you are arriving from a country with a risk of yellow fever (the U.S. is not included as a risk country).
If your flight has a layover and you are required to de-plane in an at-risk country, it is recommended that you get this vaccine.
If this applies to you, you need to visit an authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccine center for this shot., Cholera is active in some parts of Thailand, so you may also want to get a cholera vaccine before you leave for your trip.
The risk is not high for travelers, but if you contract cholera then the illness can be severe., The cost of immunizations and vaccinations is becoming increasingly expensive.
If you’re on a budget, first check if your doctor administers the vaccines before you go to a travel clinic.
At a travel clinic, a consultation fee can range from $50 to $100, and the cost of vaccinations can range from $10 to $150 or more, and some vaccinations require as many as three shots.
For example, a Japanese Encephalitis vaccination typically costs $450 to $800 total.Your local public health department might offer discounted rates on travel vaccines., Check with your health insurance company to see what is covered by your policy.
Health insurance companies do not provide coverage for some travel vaccinations, and at times provide zero coverage.
For a person who is covered, the typical expenses include a co-pay of $10 to $40 for the doctor visit, and co-pays for the vaccinations.Remember to get a copy of your receipt from the travel clinic so you can submit a claim to your insurance company.
Your insurance company may reimburse you for some of the costs.Medicare does not cover any vaccines or medicines for foreign travel., In order to ensure that your immunizations are in effect when you travel, get immunized before you travel.
This way you can prevent getting sick while traveling abroad.
If you are in the situation where you were immunized only three weeks or less from your departure date, consider buying supplemental health insurance for traveling abroad.
U.S. health plans do not cover international travel.
This insurance will cover medical costs abroad and emergency evacuations.
Foreign hospitals and doctors often require payment in cash, and emergency medical evacuations can be very expensive, costing up to $100,000.
About the Author
Nathan Miller
A passionate writer with expertise in hobbies topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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