Medicines & Vaccinations
No vaccine is required if you are travelling from any place except from certain parts of Africa. Your biggest worry should be avoiding mosquito bites at all times. Malaria is present in many places of the island. Dengue fever, a viral illness transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, can cause fever, headache, severe joint, bone and muscular pain (the reason why it is also known as “breakbone fever”). In a small proportion of cases the disease develops into the life-threatening dengue haemorrhagic fever. Rather than panic and avoid Sri Lanka, remember two things:
- Dengue fever is prevalent in many southeast Asian countries and parts of Australia.
- All hotels and guesthouses supply mosquito nets for the night.
You can protect yourself and your family by preventive measures like wearing long clothing. All Sri Lankan pharmacies sell repellents. This is one place you’ll have to stop by when setting off from the airport.
Check if your other vaccinations against tetanus, diphtheria, polio, hepatitis A & B, whooping cough, etc. are still valid.
Apart from any prescribed medicines, you can carry some basic medicines like paracetamol, anti-diarrhoeal tablets, a thermometer, antiseptic solution, sunburn remedies, etc.
