Asia Health Advice

Stay informed and be prepared for your stay in Asia

Fly to Asia safely

Are you going to one of the Asian countries from Lyon?
Discover all our recommendations to anticipate your stay!

With a surface area of 43 million km², Asia is the largest continent in the world. It is thus home to a wide range of climates, flora, fauna and people. Healthcare and vaccination precautions therefore differ from one country to another.

Which vaccines do you need to visit Asia?

Whatever your destination in Asia, departing from Lyon-Saint Exupéry airport, you should be vaccinated against the following diseases:

Hepatitis B and A (also known an jaundice),
Measles (the MMR - mumps, measles and rubella - vaccine is highly recommended for children),
Rabies (rabies is rare, but deadly in all cases).

The vaccine against Japanese encephalitis is present in all Asian countries. It is therefore more than recommended if you are going to spend more than a month in rural areas, especially during the monsoon season. This serious disease develops from India to Japan.

If you are travelling to Central Asia, Northern China or Japan, you should be vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis.

For people travelling to Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, etc.), we recommend vaccination against typhoid fever and being up to date with Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) vaccination, which is mandatory in France.

Tuberculosis is particularly prevalent in Malaysia, so it is advisable to get vaccinated with the BGC, especially for children.

To learn more about vaccinations, we invite you to learn more on the french administration website by clicking on the link below.

Vaccinations for travel

Preventing infectious and parasitic diseases in Asia

Typhoid fever vaccination does not provide 100% protection. You should therefore follow basic hygiene rules (wash your hands, wash food, only drink bottled water, etc.).

In some Asian countries, as in all developing countries, cholera is still present. You should therefore take basic hygiene precautions, and vaccination is highly recommended for healthcare professionals during epidemics. If, in spite of everything, travellers are exposed, they should take a preventive antibiotic such as doxycycline.

Malaria is an uncommon disease in Asia. If, however, symptoms develop, the patient will be given emergency treatment.

Dengue and leptospirosis are two infectious diseases emerging in Southeast Asia. Use mosquito repellent and good hygiene practices to avoid catching the viruses.

Rabies continues to spread in Southeast Asia through dog and monkey bites, particularly in rural areas. Avoid contact with domestic and stray dogs and wild animals.

Diseases caught through water and food

Food poisoning, traveler's diarrhea or intestinal parasitosis... many travelers get sick during their trip to Asia due to certain foods swallowed.

It is thus preferable to take some precautions to avoid any inconvenience:

Respect the rules of food and body hygiene.
Make sure the food you eat is well preserved and cooked, especially meat and seafood. Raw or undercooked fish, shellfish or freshwater plants can transmit liver fluke.
Avoid drinking from the taps, the water is rarely drinkable unless it is indicated otherwise