Vaccinations for South Africa

Disease risk for those travelling to South Africa is low, as long as travellers stick to major cities like Cape Town.

That being said, there are some vaccinations recommended for South Africa for some travellers depending on their specific destination, activities, and type of accommodation. The recommended vaccines will also depend on what routine vaccinations you had as part of the childhood national immunisation program and which other countries you will be visiting during your trip.

Yellow Fever Vaccination

There is currently no requirement for yellow fever vaccination, except when travellers come from high-risk yellow fever zones in sub-Saharan Africa, like Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya.

Even if you are just transiting through an at-risk country, like Addis Ababa airport in Ethiopia, you might be asked to show a yellow fever vaccination certificate when arriving in South Africa.

Hepatitis A Vaccination

Hepatitis A is spread via food or drinks that have been contaminated by small, undetectable amounts of virus from the poo of an infected person. While Hepatitis A is not common in Australia, the vaccine is advised for travel to South Africa due to the increased risk of infection.

Hepatitis B Vaccination

Hepatitis B (Hep B) can become a very severe disease. It is spread through bodily fluids such as blood, semen, and vaginal fluid, and you can also contract it from a tattoo or body piercing. Vaccination can help reduce your chances of contracting Hep B, but even so, you should still practice safe sexual contact and be cautious if getting a tattoo or piercing while abroad.

Typhoid Vaccination

Typhoid is another highly contagious disease that can be spread via contaminated food and water. If you are travelling to South Africa, the typhoid vaccination is a good precaution. You are more likely to get the disease in places where sanitation and food hygiene standards are poor. If you are going to be working or staying with local people, your travel doctor may recommend this vaccine.

Rabies Vaccination

Rabies is rare in South Africa, but cases are still reported. Your doctor may advise the rabies vaccination if you are considered high risk, for example, if you are going to be working with animals, especially dogs or other mammals. Even if you do have the rabies vaccination, if you are bitten by an animal, you should still seek urgent medical treatment as quickly as possible.

Malaria Medication

There is malaria risk in Kruger National Park, private game reserves, Victoria Falls, and other national parks, as well as remote or rural areas. Before travelling to South Africa, you should speak to a travel health clinic and let them know the areas you plan to visit. The clinic may advise you to take malaria medication as a precaution. There are three commonly prescribed types of antimalarial tablets with different degrees of side effects. Bear in mind, however, that antimalarials are only 90% effective. Even if you are taking them, you still need to avoid mosquito bites wherever possible.

Malaria Safety Precautions:

• Use a mosquito net whilst you sleep at night
• Wear loose, long clothing that covers your skin to protect you from bites
• Use an insect repellent with DEET

Other Health Considerations and General Travel Advice for South Africa

Safe Sex

Travellers need to practice safe sex, as it is estimated that about ½ of sex workers there are HIV positive, which is a very serious disease.

Ticks and Parasitic Infection

If your itinerary includes rural areas, you might need to take precautions against infections like rickettsia, which can come from ticks, or schistosomiasis, which can come from parasitic worms.

Rift Valley fever is another mosquito-borne disease that can be spread to humans from infected animals or mosquitos. Bite prevention techniques will help protect you from this serious disease.

Travellers Diarrhoea

South Africa presents an intermediate risk of travellers’ diarrhoea. Most travellers will recover from this without any treatment, but some cases can be more severe. To protect yourself, follow general food and water precautions (e.g. only drinking sealed, bottled water and not eating foods that have been washed in unsanitary water).

Crime

South Africa has one of the highest violent crime rates in the world, especially in locations like Johannesburg. We can discuss security precautions with you during your pre-travel consultation.

General safety advice includes:

• Stick to major roads, especially around the airports.
• Stick to busy areas of parks like Table Mountain National Park, as there have been muggings and violent attacks in quieter areas of these tourist attractions.
• Avoid isolated areas, especially on beaches and picnic spots.
• Avoid large public gatherings or protests, as these can quickly become violent.
• Express kidnappings happen often in South Africa, usually for financial gain. Some travellers might like to hire personal security for their trip.
• Monitor media to see if there are any areas you should avoid, and follow advice from your hotel and local authorities.
• Be aware that the South African Authorities do not have a dedicated ‘Tourist Police’ force. Criminals have posed as this department to rob and extort tourists by claiming tourists need to stop for roadblocks and bag searches.
• Theft happens in hotel rooms and luggage storage facilities, as well as at airports.

Another thing for travellers to be aware of is that South Africa experiences ‘load-shedding’. These are rolling blackouts to relieve pressure on the country’s energy supply. During the blackouts, crime is more likely in areas like shopping malls.

Medical Facilities

The standards of medical care in South Africa vary. Public medical facilities are generally a lower standard than those in Australia. Private healthcare is often a better option if you need medical attention in South Africa.

Before admitting you, hospitals will often ask for confirmation of your travel insurance and an up-front deposit.

Before You Go…

Before you go it’s essential to arrange a visit to a travel health clinic to talk about vaccinations required and health risks. You should also stay updated with the Australian Government Smart Traveller website for updates on vaccines required, any changing infectious diseases and general safety advice.