We're doing the April 13 Trans-Canal cruise aboard the Infinity leaving San Diego and arriving Ft. Lauderdale 14 days later. The travel clinic is trying to get us to do immunizations for: Hepatitis A, Diptheria, tetanus, and yelllow fever. In addition, they're suggesting malaria medicine starting a week before the cruise and continuing about 2 weeks afterwards. Aren't they being a little zealous?? We don't plan on venturing too far from the ports.
We did this itinerary in January 2002. We had no extra immunizations whatsoever...and did shore excursions at most of the ports. Check the Centers for Disease Control website for more information..under "Traveler's Health".
My finace and I are going on a Panama Cruise with princess on April 13th and we got immunized for yellow fever. Only reason being is we plan on doing a trek through the rainforest. Better safe then sorry, especially now days. Neither of us had any side effects and now its good for ten years. There is a very good chance we will be travelling again where there may be yellowfever.
unless you are planning on staying in the jungle i think that those recommendations are totally ridiculous. We did not need to get any type of immunization or medication when we did our trans-canal cruise. Sunscreen and bug repellent yes.
Since I didn't have the local mosquito schedule for Costa Rica and Panama I thought whether we are there for 8 hours or 5 minutes I wasn't going to take the chance in the rainforest. I would rather pay $60cdn for prevention then $1,000,000 for treatment.
You really should have a tetanus shot once every ten years. You could be in the garden and scratch yourself on a branch. As far as the yellow fever and malaria, as long as you aren't going into the Jungle, mosquito spray should do the job. Hep A immunization should be given to everyone who eats out in any restaurant in the World. Check with another doctor and ask his opinion. I can't take malaria or yellow fever immunization because of a liver problem and still managed to go to Vietnam and twice to South American just with mosquito spray.
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