[Hannah-NL]

On the Health form it says everyone needs to be immunised against Hepatitis B before coming to New Zealand. Now that's not a normal vaccination over here, (just for junkies, prostitutes and maybe health workers?) So what have you all done here?
Sorry if this has been discussed before I can't find it, but would like to know if any of you had these, we're just a normal family, no health workers or risky group and hubby is a virgin (well it's his starsign) ;)

[wilson182]

I have been advised to get the kids immunised for Hep B, and they are in the middle of the injections at the moment. Noone has mentioned me or hubby though. They are also in the process of immunising kids for menigoccal B (sp) too.

[wilson182]

Just as a postscript, these injections are free.

[Jo and Andy]

I think there was a page on the medical that listed imunisations and asked if they were up to date.

i was going to go with that list to the Dr's and book all the injections to make sure they were up to date.

[Hannah-NL]

Thats what I meant the medical leaflet/form, sorry for not expressing myself clearly ;)
So did all that went over get all their shots before departure? Also the Hep B?

[Going2NZ]

I don't know if this helps since I'm in the US but our dr. signed off on my medicals with the first shot in the series and a promise that I'd come back and have the other two. I decided it certainly couldn't hurt (well, just a little pinch) and it added another item to the "done that" list for the medicals.

[wilson182]

We came over on visitors visas then got jobs, so I am having the kids Hep B done over here.

[Saint]

Hi Wilson

we're also coming over on visitor visas and then getting jobs later. How did this work out for you? Any problems etc?

Sue

[ruthyroo]

We didn't get Hep B before coming here largely becuase it was overlooked on the form by both us and the GP. But since having medicals here (for PR) we've been picked up by the GP here. They strongly recommended that we get the Hep vac becuase:

NZ, and Rotorua where we are, has a high incidence of Hep B among the local population and it's not a pleasant disease to have.
Okay we may not be having sex / sharing drugs with them, but what happens if we are in a car crash (and that's not unlikely given the way people drive here!) and are bleeding and have to help someone with an open wound? Would we withold care / first aid for fears of contracting a disease like Hep B? What if positions were reversed and someone was helping us?

Anyway, long story short, we're getting the jabs.

[ruthyroo]

PS it's costing us $75 for the vaccinations so if you can get them free in the UK go for it.

[selchie]

On another forum I asked about Hep B vaccinations, because I haven't had them either. Several people stated that they had come over, and hadn't been required to have the shots yet. It sounds like schoolchildren may need to have them, though.

[Jo and Andy]

Left it too late to get the Hep B injections going to cost £30 for Rhiannon 1/2 course and about £50 for me and Andy.

Wilson, think I will get them done in Christchurch if you say it's free, plus I think it is better to have them done in the same place.

Let us know where to have it done. We should be over in the middle / end of November

Thanks

[sweetpea]

I'm not sure if I heard my doctor right -- Hep B is a series of 3 shots over 6 months, right? I ended up not going for it.

Just a note for procrastinators like me. :uhoh Start early if you're going to get immunized.