Vaccinations

kutawoman

I will be traveling from Florida to Kenya/Tanzania in May, 2016 and was trying to determine which vaccinations are necessary.

AlanS

If you go back through the K&T forum you'll see this is a topic that comes up regularly. Two answers that are spot on- check the requirements of the countries you will visit- under certain circumstances some countries may require yellow fever shots- and get those. But more important is to see a travel doctor. Everyone's situation- age and health- are different so there is no standard set of inoculations that fits all. See a travel doctor at least 6 months before you go (the inoculation for Hep C is given in three doses over a period of several months.) When you visit the travel doc also ask him for a prescription for precautionary CIPRO or similar antibiotic for intestinal distress.

Nancilyn

I just booked Kenya & Tanzania for the end of July. I live in Fort Lauderdale. I would be anxious to hear your review.

kutawoman

I was advised that the yellow fever vaccination is a must. Hep A & B are optional but one should take malaria pills.

MTinkham

In addition to the yellow fever vaccination, my doctor advised I receive a Typhoid and Tdap vaccination as well as take malaria pills. Since I received Hep A & B several years ago, my doctor said I did not these vaccinations.

ndvb

Like AlanS says, this question keeps coming up on the forum. There are multiple answers to this question and multiple people who come in and tell you what you need. The reality is that you need to go to your PCP or a travel physician who can look at your records to determine what YOU need. This allows a program that is made for your specific needs. I wouldn't listen to anyone who comes in here and tells me about their program. It will cost you to go to a travel physician since your insurance probably doesn't cover the visit or the vaccinations. You are paying a big price for the tour and transportation, so a few bucks more for travel safely shouldn't be an issue.

A travel physician will also give you advice concerning which foods to enjoy and which foods to avoid. The hotels claim to wash fresh fruits and vegetables with filtered water. However, I wasn't prepared to trust that to happen or to believe that all of the contaminents are removed. I did not eat fresh fruit unless it had an unopened, unspilt peel. I avoided prepared salads. One little amount of a contaminant can cause an issue and interrupt your trip. It isn't like I would never enjoy a lettuce or fruit salad again....just two weeks. Boil it, cook it, peel it, or avoid it. But again, I believe in free will, so it is your choice. I had people tell me over and over that the lettuce and fruit salads were great, but then I saw where people had colon issues.

Many people have discussed the water issues too. Bottled water only....drinking and brushing your teeth. One suggestion I followed as to use the wash cloth to cover the spigot to remind me not to use the water to brush my teeth or rinse my mouth. I can't remember how many times I reached for the spigot to rinse out my toothbrush and stopped when I saw the wash cloth. (The maids will put the cloth back on the rack so you have to do it every day) In the shower, keep you mouth closed ("Zip it"). It isn't that the food and water there is so dirty, it is that we are so clean that we can't handle the contaminants that are in the food and water.

I saw several people whose trip was interrupted with a "loose caboose." All the preparation in the world won't make you completely safe so I would advise you have your physician write a Rx for some GI antibiotics, fill it, take it with you, and carry some Immodium with you. Just check with your PCP and (s)he can fix you up with what you need, including your shots.

Enjoy the trip, it is a great one.