Singapore boasts a relatively clean environment but diseases can strike anywhere. The city has plenty of medical facilities for everyone. Nevertheless, it’s better to avoid being sick than find yourself recovering in a nice clean hospital with lots of friendly staff and a great view. Probably.
Consult a good doctor for the best up-to-date advice but here are some things you will want to know.
Firstly, if you have ever been to certain nations with yellow fever (a few in the South American and African regions) in the last twelve months, you will need to provide a yellow fever vaccination certificate before you can enter Singapore.
Otherwise, some vaccinations to take are:
- Hepatitis A and B
- Measles, mumps and rubella
- Tetanus diphtheria
The effectiveness of a tetanus vaccine fades over time. If it has been over a decade since your last tetanus vaccine, get another one to be on the safe side. You might also want to consider getting one for Japanese encephalitis if you are planning to spend some time in the countryside.
Allow a month’s time for your vaccinations to take effect because your body needs time to become immunized.
Watch out for mosquito bites. Worse than being annoying, they can transmit diseases. Dengue in particular, can travel through mosquitoes and does not have a vaccination.
In case of a medical emergency, Singapore’s quick response number is 995 (not appropriate for police emergencies – dial 999 instead).
You can also ring 1777 for an ambulance if the situation is not immediate.