South Africa Travel Guidelines

Emergency no.: 911Police: 10111    Medical: 10177Fire: 10111   MEDICAL INSURANCE   We at Jagran, strongly urge you to seek advice before traveling anywhere abroad. Various available medical insurance companies can help you with various precautions which include confirming to their policy for overseas and covering emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation and much more.   You may want to consider purchasing a short-term policy for your trip, in case your medical insurance policy does not provide you with overseas coverage.   Before Visiting South Africa:   For vaccine-preventable diseases and other related diseases you might be at risk for, you should make sure you get the under mentioned vaccinations and medications before visiting South Africa: (Note: Medical facilities are often case specific and depends on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities. Your consulted doctor or health-care provider will determine what you will need, accordingly.)Adults and children should get different vaccinations and can be checked duly below the link.   Diseases such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) come under the routine vaccines category are given at different stages of life; please refer to the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and routine adult immunization schedule.   The government requires travelers arriving from countries where yellow fever (although yellow fever is not a disease risk in South Africa) is present to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. This requirement must be taken into consideration, if you will be traveling to one of these countries where yellow fever is present before arriving in South Africa.   NOTE: Be in no doubt as far as your routine vaccinations are concerned, they should be updated well in advanced.   Vaccine-Preventable Diseases   Often best available risk information is what determines the recommendations of vaccines. It is to be duly noted that the level of risk for vaccine-preventable diseases can change at any time.   Vaccination or Disease Recommendations or Requirements for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Routine If you are not up-to-date with Routine shots such as, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, etc is highly recommended. Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG) Cases of travel-related hepatitis A can occur in people working or traveling in countries with an intermediate or high level of hepatitis A virus infection. Exposure might occur via food or water. It can also be presented to travelers traveling to developing countries with "standard" tourist itineraries, food consumption behaviors and accommodations. Hepatitis B For all unvaccinated people who are exposed to blood or body fluids or exposed through medical treatment such as in a case of an accident or in case of direct sexual contact with local population Hepatitis B is highly recommended. For all adults requesting protection from HBV infection, even in the developed countries, Hepatitis B is suggested. Typhoid Cases of travel related typhoid can occur while working or travel...