In October 2022 we decided to go for a tropical escape. It felt like it has been forever since I had a travel consult and surely it had been an eternity since I had travelled overseas. (Ok that really is a first world problem guilty as charged).
So, at short notice and with little prior planning we decided to book a trip to Bali. The party consisted of two adults (both Doctors), a 12 year old and a 6 month old infant. The plan was to just stay at a 5-star resort only eat at the resort.
It felt like it has been forever since I had a travel consult and surely it had been an eternity since I had travelled overseas. (Ok that really is a first world problem guilty as charged).
So, at short notice and with little prior planning we decided to book a trip to Bali. The party consisted of two adults (both Doctors), a 12 year old and a 6 month old infant. The plan was to just stay at a 5-star resort only eat at the resort.
We were all vaccinated against childhood disease already, so it left us with following recommended vaccinations.
Hepatitis A: Adults and 12-year-old vaccinated, baby not vaccinated.
Hepatitis B (not applicable to our party) : adults and 12 year old vaccinated, baby not vaccinated.
Typhoid vaccination: none of us immune (risk in Indonesia is between three and eight in 1000). All travellers to Bali should get a typhoid vaccination at least 2 weeks prior to departure and take careful food and water precautions.
Rabies: Significant risk from dogs exists throughout the country, including Bali. Recommended for prolonged stays: all travellers and expatriates, with a priority for young children.
Influenza: All covered.
COVID-19: Adults vaccinated, 12-year-old not vaccinated and baby not vaccinated.
We diligently applied insect repellent.
Armed with blissful optimism and a solid determination to avoid monkeys we stayed in a 5-star hotel in Nusa Dua which incidentally had a troop of some 40 monkeys that lined the corridors to our rooms and common areas, and we ended up in UBUD surrounded by monkeys and tourists posing for photos with the monkeys. Not to mention stray dogs in Kuta which thankfully stayed away from us.
Our personal observation was it’s difficult to travel with a baby. Fortunately ours was breast fed and not yet crawling. However, a toddler would be at significant risk for both typhoid and Rabies exposure. So extra diligence and preplanning is required.
Typhoid is a significant risk and even though we avoided street food and contaminated water I think in hindsight we should have got vaccinated.
Rabies I think my threshold for immunisation even for short term tourist has dropped significantly.
Covid is an evolving landscape apart from complying with local rules I would recommend vaccination.
The poor people in Bali were devastated by COVID’s effect on tourist and struggled to feed themselves during the pandemic. Also, even though there were signs that things were picking up there were many closed shops in tourist areas so please go spend some money there 😊
By Dr Messiah Alfonso, Travel Medicine Alliance Member, Burnie TAS
