Amazonia cruise

It seems a shame that one should take pills to prevent malaria when we are going to be in French Guayana, and on the Amazon for just three days, ending up for one full day in Manaus. It will be in December and we will be staying on the ship at night. In the daytime wewill wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, use Deet.

Would you take the malaria pills for such a short period? Also I read that if one visits French Guayana it is necessary to have a yellow fever shot before visiting other countries (tropical South America). My doctor does not want my husband and I to have this shot. What do you think?

I feel most of the passengers on this cruise will not even be aware that these precautions should be taken.

Thank you for your opinion.

Ruth Crossan

[Rick]

Ruth, I am not a medical person but if it is recommended that you take the malaria pills , then I would think the powers to be who recommend it have a reason to do so. I was in the USMC for 22 years (18 months Vietnam) and had a lot of friends come down with malaria because they did'nt take the pills. Not a good thing to have. I would recommend you pose your question to your family doctor for an expert opinion.
Semper Fi
Rick