Polio vaccine
 

I am going to Egypt/Jordan next month, so after a visit to my doctor I got shots for tetnus, Hep A, and pills for typhus. I've read on this board that a polio vaccine is recommended. When I asked my doctor about that, she said she couldn't get a polio vaccine for me. Has anyone else had trouble finding the this? How important is the polio vaccine? Thanks.

There is both an oral and an injection option. If one is not available, maybe you can get the other. Y

ou can try an international travel clinic, in addition to your doctor. I only follow the travel clinic's advice, which has been for Sub-Saharan Africa, and cannot comment on how important it is or what happens if you forego typhoid.

Oops, I thought you wrote <u>typhoid</u>. I don't know if polio is oral and injection.

Sorry

I just returned from southern and central africa and had a polio booster at the reccomendation of the Dr at my travel clinic. Its starting to pop up in areas of southern africa from what I was told.

I believe I read on the govt website that if you had the original oral, polio vaccine given years ago, then you should get a booster. I did get the injection. I was in the first wave of kids to get the oral in 1955 and I figured it wasn't a bad idea.
Best advice would be your doctor.

just re-read yours post. Your doctor couldn'g get one for you? Strange. Try the local health department or a travel clinic. Maybe you are young enough that there is no need for you to get a booster.

When I went to South Africa, the travel clinic at Northwestern recommended I get the booster, so I did. Measles too. I'm in my 30s.

Thanks for all of these replies. Although I'll be in Northern Africa, I guess it won't hurt to get a booster, so I'll do a bit of web surfing to find a travel clinic. Better safe than sorry.

Polio should be a booster, which is an shot... should last the rest of your life. If you doctor doesnt have, ask if he/she can get or contact a hospital travel clinic or public health center. The latter would probably be less expensive.

While Polio has technically been eradicated, there are still small outbreaks somewhere in the world.

P_M,
Not sure where you live, but if you live in the States, your local county health department and get you set up with a Polio vaccine.

I had no issue getting one from my doctor, and a booster for my kids from their pediatircian

P_M, there is a travel clinic off Mopac in the North Austin Medical Center. We've gotten lots of our shots there. Even got a prescription (if I remember, it was Cipro) to take when we were going to Russia. Don't want to get that stomach virus from the water or food, no way!

I should have their card around somewhere. I'll try to look it up if you can't find them online. Let me know if you have trouble locating them.

Wrong wrong name - it was the Austin Diagnostic Clinic, off Mopac. Here's the link to their Travel Clinic:

http://tinyurl.com/37rzfb

Hope this helps!