In Reply to: visiting soon and needles?? posted by Kazz on Monday, 25. August 2008 at 11:24 Bali Time:
as both illnesses have implications e.g. invariably if infected months are required of work to feel perky again...do you have income protection insurance? By the time you get diagnosed, you are in Oz and not covered by regular travel insurance because they will argue that vaccination was recommended!
Kids usually get a milder illness with hep A but adults can be severe especially if the liver takes a hammering from grog and people who swallow drugs like panadol alot, for example.
Typhoid is another one that knocks you around for ages.
Hepatitis A requires 2 vaccines, 6 month apart but lasts for years of future travel...it would be a pity not to have the 2.
The reasons for the vaccination recommendations come from the prevalence of the disease in the country of question plus the number of cases diagnosed in Oz and their origin...there are whole government units working on the recommendations.