Advisory issued for travelers to Olympics in South Korea

The Health Ministry has issued a health advisory for Israelis planning to fly to Pyeongchang in South Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to be held from February 9 to 25, and March 8 to March 18, respectively.

Those planning to attend should go to the traveler’s clinics in the ministry’s district health offices around the country, to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center, or Tzrifin’s Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, to receive vaccines and guidelines for the prevention of infectious diseases common in South Korea.

In addition to the general recommendations and precautions – securing personal hygiene; being careful of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks, food and water, sexual contact or blood; and rules of caution to prevent skin disease – the following are recommendations for travelers to South Korea:

Depending on the passenger’s immune status, he or she should be vaccinated against hepatitis A, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, chickenpox, mumps and measles. Travelers should receive a rubella vaccine and a vaccine against meningococcal disease, as well as that against influenza, if not already received.

Also consider protection against malaria and a vaccination against hepatitis B and typhoid. If you are also traveling to rural areas and not only the city where the Olympic games are being held, also consider getting a rabies shot, as these locations may have wandering mammals infected with the fatal virus.