Africa - -shots
 

My mom and I would really like to go on a safari but are put off by the fact that you have to get many shots. How many do you really need?<BR><BR>thanks

We are leaving to Tanzania in two weeks and I was also very aprehensive about the shots. I ended up with 5 shots over two appointments and my wife had 4. It appears that 5 is the maximum. They were painless shots and I have had absolutely no side effects from them.

The only injections we had were a series of three for Hepititus A/B. The medication was expensive... Twinrix.

You don't need any shots to go on safari in South Africa or Botswana.

The current situation regarding malaria and other diseases prevalent in any given area of Africa changes all the time.<BR><BR>Strains change and what was an effective immunisation 1 year ago may not be today.<BR><BR>Even within one country the shots you may needd depend on which regions you will visit.<BR><BR>I would strongly suggest getting up-to-date advice from a doctor - and make sure that he/ she is referring to the very latest and most detailed information tables.<BR><BR>Also, do make sure that you do continue to take the malaria medications for the full advised period, including after return.<BR><BR>I recall reading that although a large proportion of malaria cases come about because the individual doesnt take precautions at all, an equally large proportion of cases are down to visitors stopping their anti-malarial <BR>drug regime too early.

PS None of my injections hurt at all. And I was terrified, having had typhoid injections as a kid before visiting India, which left a grown adult's arm in pain for 2 weeks! I was most pleased to hear they have changed completely and even more pleased when I couldnt even feel the injection at all! (I am needle phobic - I have to psyche myself up a great deal).<BR><BR>All I can say is that a safari in Africa is worth it!<BR><BR>

Sometimes people who report they had to get a zillion shots to go to a particular destination are including the ones they should have gotten anyway, even if they were staying home. When the MD reviews their records, it gets discovered that things like tetanus has lapsed and they never got the 3-shot Hepatitis B series. <BR><BR>If you go to the Centers for Disease Control website they will tell you what is recommended for any destination.

Hi Joan! I am petrified of shots, but got some for our recent trip to Kenya and Tanzania. We got Hep A, yellow fever and booster shots. It only required two trips to the travel clinic. Our insurance covered the cost. Really, the shots are not bad!

I went to Namibia in August and did get all the shots that were recommended. I got mine at the city health dept which was cheaper than a doctor. (My health ins did not cover the shots.) It took two trips. I also took anti-malaria pills but we only saw 3 mosquitos the two weeks we were there. I was also concerned about the water but we ended up drinking the tap water with no side effects. I know this isn't the case in all of Africa.<BR> After having been on safari, to me it is worth anything you have to go through to get there! It was the most memorable trip I've ever been on and am planning a return trip next year. My husband chose not to get any shots and although I wanted to wring his neck it turned out okay. Yellow fever is not a requirement for Namibia. The CDC has a website that tells which shots you need for which area you are traveling.<BR>Go get the shots and have a great trip!