Vaccines and Medicines
Check the vaccines and medicines list and visit your doctor (ideally, 4-6 weeks) before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need.
ou should be up to date on routine vaccinations while traveling to any destination. Some vaccines may also be required for travel.
Routine vaccines
Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.
Most travelers
Get travel vaccines and medicines because there is a risk of these diseases in the country you are visiting.
Hepatitis A
CDC recommends this vaccine because you can get hepatitis A through contaminated food or water in South Africa, regardless of where you are eating or staying.
Typhoid
You can get typhoid through contaminated food or water in South Africa. CDC recommends this vaccine for most travelers, especially if you are staying with friends or relatives, visiting smaller cities or rural areas, or if you are an adventurous eater.
Some travelers
Ask your doctor what vaccines and medicines you need based on where you are going, how long you are staying, what you will be doing, and if you are traveling from a country other than the US.
Hepatitis B
You can get hepatitis B through sexual contact, contaminated needles, and blood products, so CDC recommends this vaccine if you might have sex with a new partner, get a tattoo or piercing, or have any medical procedures.
Malaria
When traveling in South Africa, you should avoid mosquito bites to prevent malaria. You may need to take prescription medicine before, during, and after your trip to prevent malaria, depending on your travel plans, such as where you are going, when you are traveling, and if you are spending a lot of time outdoors or sleeping outside. Talk to your doctor about how you can prevent malaria while traveling. For more information on malaria in South Africa, see malaria in South Africa.
Rabies
Rabies can be found in dogs, bats, and other mammals in South Africa, so CDC recommends this vaccine for the following groups:
Travelers involved in outdoor and other activities (such as camping, hiking, biking, adventure travel, and caving) that put them at risk for animal bites.
People who will be working with or around animals (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, and researchers).
People who are taking long trips or moving to South Africa
Children, because they tend to play with animals, might not report bites, and are more likely to have animal bites on their head and neck.
Yellow Fever
There is no risk of yellow fever in South Africa. The government of South Africa requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. This does not include the US.
If you are traveling from a country other than the US, check this list to see if you may be required to get the yellow fever vaccine: Countries with risk of yellow fever virus (YFV) transmission.
For more information on recommendations and requirements, see yellow fever recommendations and requirements for South Africa. Your doctor can help you decide if this vaccine is right for you based on your travel plans.
Key
Get vaccinated
Take antimalarial meds
Eat and drink safely
Prevent bug bites
Keep away from animals
Reduce your exposure to germs
Avoid sharing body fluids
Avoid non-sterile medical or cosmetic equipment
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Stay Healthy and Safe
Learn actions you can take to stay healthy and safe on your trip. Vaccines cannot protect you from many diseases in South Africa, so your behaviors are important.
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Eat and drink safely
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Prevent bug bites
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Stay safe outdoors
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Keep away from animals
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Reduce your exposure to germs
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Avoid sharing body fluids
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Know how to get medical care while traveling
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Select safe transportation
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Maintain personal security
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Healthy Travel Packing List
Use the Healthy Travel Packing List for South Africa for a list of health-related items to consider packing for your trip. Talk to your doctor about which items are most important for you.
Why does CDC recommend packing these health-related items?
It’s best to be prepared to prevent and treat common illnesses and injuries. Some supplies and medicines may be difficult to find at your destination, may have different names, or may have different ingredients than what you normally use.
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Travel Health Notices
There are no notices currently in effect for South Africa.
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After Your Trip
If you are not feeling well after your trip, you may need to see a doctor. If you need help finding a travel medicine specialist, see Find a Clinic. Be sure to tell your doctor about your travel, including where you went and what you did on your trip. Also tell your doctor if you were bitten or scratched by an animal while traveling.
If your doctor prescribed antimalarial medicine for your trip, keep taking the rest of your pills after you return home. If you stop taking your medicine too soon, you could still get sick.
Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. If you become ill with a fever either while traveling in a malaria-risk area or after you return home (for up to 1 year), you should seek immediate medical attention and should tell the doctor about your travel history.
For more information on what to do if you are sick after your trip, see Getting Sick after Travel.
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Map Disclaimer - The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on maps do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement are generally marked.
By CDC
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