Being from a rabies free country (Australia) i will be needing to get a rabies for my long indo journey.
"Three people have died of rabies in Australia: an unconfirmed case in 1867, and two recent cases in 1987 and 1990."
The following are excerpts I wrote on another forum relating to this issue:
I disagree with the necessity of a rabies vaccination series for a trip to Bali. The WHO only recommends this for those who are traveling to an area where rabies is common…which is not the case in Bali…or for those who will be in regular contact and exposure to animals.
And there is this from professor doctor Daniel, aka, Tintin:
“For humans in a high-risk occupational groups, such as veterinarians or animal handlers, they will be vaccinated pre-exposure with 3 shots. If/when they are bitten by a rabid animals, they will STILL have to get the 2 other shots of the 5-doses series for humans.”
And then…once again on another forum, the Virtual Tourist where I write a lot, I went off on Australia after hearing this:
"The Australian Health Authorities are advising to their citizens that they consult their health authority to see if they need the vaccination, for when they come to Bali, so although it is not yet compulsory it is possibly a wise precaution."
To which, I responded:
Not to knock on the Ozzies too much, but Australia has a long standing policy to over-react to anything that goes on here in Indonesia…not the least of which was the recent upgrading of their travel advisories just prior to the executions of the Bali bombers.
DFAT, (the Australian state department) raised the warning level, despite the fact that both the US and Great Britain did not…and in fact, the US had just lowered the travel warnings to Indonesia citing great improvements in security here in Indonesia! Moreover, DFAT was totally unable to cite ANY intelligence that warranted an increase in their warning level aside from pure speculation! The US, Great Britain and Australia ALL share any available terrorist related intelligence…all the time. So, why did OZ alone think an increase in the warning level was appropriate?
Pardon me, but I take nothing that comes out of Australia as indicative of anything close to the reality “on the ground” here in Indonesia…and this is based on many years of closely observing Australian relations with Indonesia.
That OZ over-reacted to the rabies situation here in Bali is of no surprise to me, or many other observers. Frankly, it’s appalling in my view.
The idea of getting rabies vaccinations prior to a visit to Bali is ludicrous, but again, it doesn’t surprise me a bit that the Australian government would push this idea…as they are always looking for reasons to discourage their citizens from vacationing in Bali, rather they would prefer to encourage them to spend their vacations monies at home in Australia.
In the classic sense and meaning of the word, “vaccination” there is NO such thing as a rabies vaccination for humans. All that can be done as a semi-prevention is to administer the first three of the five shot series which is used to treat rabies in humans prior to exposure and a bite from a rabid animal. But even that is not enough to guarantee the human victim that they will not contract rabies after being bitten by a rabid animal…thus the necessity of administrating the last two shots after being bitten.
The chances, or odds of any visitor getting bitten by a rabid animal in Bali remains extremely minimal, and less than in other parts of the “civilized” world. So, what is the point of going through the first three shots of the five shot program when the odds are so low, AND, if bitten, one can be treated with the full five shot series as treatment after the fact?
There is a very effective rabies vaccination available for dogs, and several of the Bali based “dog NGO’s” as well as the government, have done a good job so far in seeing that the dogs in the affected regency of Bali…namely the Badung Regency either have, or are being vaccinated if not already culled…as many dogs were culled.
Sorry to be so adamant, but as a father of three boys being raised in Bali, I take all of these health issues very seriously, and have in the past as with the SARS scare, and Avian flu. None of us have been “vaccinated” for rabies, and as things presently stand…meaning the small outbreak seeming to be fully contained, none of us will be. Have you, living here in Bali been “vaccinated” for rabies yourself?
A broad brushed and public declaration to readers of this forum that they should be vaccinated for rabies prior to their visit to Bali is irresponsible, reckless, and completely wrong. Anyone with doubts or concerns should consult either the WHO (World Health Organization) or their own doctor and based on their own medical history. And, that’s it!
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As I say, that's something I wrote somewhere else, but it seems to apply here?
And, ask anyone else from anywhere else than Australia if their government is suggesting to them that they get a rabies "vaccine” prior to their trip to Bali!
If this wasn't so f...ing outrageous, I might even laugh!
