mipmoopy

I'm going to Africa later this year and thus need to get a variety of vaccinations and immunizations. I'll be going to Tanzania. My first question is whether people who have recently gone have been getting Yellow Fever shots. I've heard conflicting reports on whether this is necessary or not. The Tanzania consulate currently says not required but my travel agent said I should get it anyways. Thoughts?

Also how much should I expect to pay for vaccinations? I called a few places and they want about $425 (yellow fever, hepatitis, typhod, clinic fee, tetanus booster). That seems like an awful lot. Does this seem reasonable. Does anyone know a reliable and fairly priced clinic in the New York or Washington DC areas?

Thanks

Marija

We're going to the Northwestern University travel clinic in Chicago tomorrow for our shots (Kenya and Tanzania). I'll let you know what they say and how much they charge.

99mkw

My wife got yellow fever, Hepatitis <b>A</b>, DPT (diptheria, pertussis, tetanus - new recommendation for adults to re-immunize against pertussis once before going back to generic tetanus), oral typhoid vaccine, and adult polio booster plus $50 consult fee. The total here in Atlanta was $330, but the second Hep A shot will be another $80 or so. The local health department was no cheaper.

I'd say the price is a bit high since it didn't include polio, but are both hepatitis shots included in that quote? Are you also getting immunized against Hepatitis B (3 shots)?

-Matt

sandi

The YF inoculation is expensive, about $100+/- depending on where obtained... usually more. Love the way other people spend your money!!!

YF is not required of visitors to Kenya or Tanzania arriving from western countries (US, UK, western Europe) and on a traditional safari you're not likely to come into contact of any YF outbreak if there has even been one in these countries.

As to the other inoc - if you belong to an HMO, you can probably get this from your primary care physican for nothing more than your co-pay. But do not tell the doc these are for travel, rather, you want to be current with inocs - tetanus and hepA and even a polio booster. The first two are good for 10-years each and polio will last the rest of your life.

If not with an HMO, which with your personal physician, they all have tetanus, hep A and polio... it's the YF that most often has to be given as a travel clinic. Last is to check with the public clinic in your town. Often lower prices, but verify that they have supply of what you need.

Otherwise, travel clinics charge lots of $$$. And you do not need YF, so there's at least a $100 savings.

sandi

There is a new combination Hep A/B called &quot;twinex&quot; (I believe), but unless you're going to be in-country for more than 3-months, living/working in local communities, working for Peace Corp or an NGO or practicing unsafe sex, you don't need Hep B a blood borne disease.

Marija

What do you think about the typhoid vaccine, Sandy?

sandi

My doctor writes the script for the Thyphoid pills before each and every of my trips over the past 12years. I've never filled them. So, guess I'm not protected.

What I choose to do, or for that matter, others - load yourself with the information, discuss with your personal physician or tropical diseases specialist and make a decision that is based on your own health circumstances and for the actual places you'll be.

At this point, I'm covered for Tetanus (another 2-yrs), Hep A (another 3-years), Polio (rest of my life)... that's it. Of course, malaria meds (Malarone these days) for each and every trip.

jenn24

I live in New York and those prices sound about right. I called around when I was going to travel last year and couldn't find the yellow fever vaccine for less than $125. The hepatitis vacccines are also I got the twinrix and it was about $175 per dose and you need 3 doses.

jenn24

Sorry, I hit the button too quick.


I chose to get the oral typhoid for three reasons:

1. It lasts longer than the shot.
2. It was less expensive
3. I was already getting 4 other shots at the same time .

I did get the yellow fever shot as I thought it was required, but now I see that it isn't.

Sandi is right that your insurance may cover some of these. Just make sure you don't tell them you need them to travel.


Jenn

sandi

Yes, if you can get this shots from your physician, just tell him you want to be current (as mentioned above). Say nothing about travel (or you may run into higher prices or not be reimbursed for the visit/inocs), and DO NOT ASK for your malaria meds during the same visit.

Innocs should be taken about 2-3 weeks prior travel - even a month.

Then after you've had the inoc, paid the bill, call the doctor for a script for your malaria meds. Sneaky? Yup!

If you have a good relationship with your physician, he/she will probably write the script without requiring another visit. Though, some may require you show your face again for another co-pay. Co-pays are low, regular office visits can cost more. If you have a drug plan, the malaria meds shouldn't cost much; if not expect to pay in the $100 range for Malarone - 21-23/tabs for a 2/wk trip.

You know your situation, so handle accordingly.

Lucia78

I had the same problem with price of shots in Washington. If you live in or have family in Fairfax County, VA you can get your shots at the Fairfax County Dept. of Health and they cost virtually nothing. Unfortunately I have no such connection to Fairfax. Here's what I did and I have Blue Cross insurance
Tetanus--covered by insurance and given by my doctor (cost nothing)
Hep A--doctor doesn't stock it, so he called in a prescription to my pharmacy. I picked up the vaccine, took it to my doctor and they injected it. My insurance covered the vaccine and there was no copay as I was visiting the doctor for my cipro script and malarone script.
Meningitis--same as above, doctor called in the prescription to my pharmacy. It cost $45. Took it to my doctor when I took the Hep A vaccine, no charge to inject.
Typhoid--doctor gave me a script for the oral vaccine. It cost $35 at the pharmacy.
Yellow Fever--I went to Howard University Medical Doctors Practice (Dr. Wilson) and it cost $85.
Polio--same as above. It cost $35.
They are supposed to charge a $22 office visit, but they didn't charge me.

So...point of this longwinded post. What I thought was going to cost me over $500 after calling ALL of the travel clinics in the area, cost me $200! It was definitely worth the extra effort in planning and coordination.

Lucia78

I meant to say also, make friends with the billing person at your doctor's office. She helped me enormously in figuring out how to negotiate all this so it was covered, etc. I also called my insurance to find out what was covered and call the pharamacy to find out how much everything was if my insurance didn't cover it. This was time consuming, but I am glad I saved $300! Also, someone posted that most doctors stock polio, mine didn't which is why I had to go to the clinic.

cindysafari

It looks like we paid far more than everyone else here. We went to the Health Department and got ours, here in California. My husband got Yellow Fever, Hep A &amp; B, meningitus and typhoid. I only got Yellow fever and Hep A &amp; B...the total for the two of us was almost $700.00. Our doctor gave us the tetanus/Diptheria shots, so this cost us nothing. But we will still need 1 more shot for the Hepitus, which will be another $150.00. Needless to say, the expense of the shots was quite a surprise to us.

SeeSee

Yellowfever is not required anymore but the CDC recommends this. Here's link to CDC travel site, select Tanzania and it'll give you the list of recommended vaccinations:

http://www.cdc.gov/travel/

As for the cost, $425 for all those shots is about right. It's definitely not cheap and typically not covered by your health insurance. But my thoughts is I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Marija

Here's what the travel clinic told us today for Kenya/Tanzania. Yellow fever is not required but CDC recommends it. Nurse said it was our decision. The vaccine risks are estimated to be 1/131,000 doses for life-threating allergic reaction; 1/150,000 for severe nervous system reactions and 1/200,000--1/40,000, depending on age, for major organ system failure. Mortality for major organ system failure is 50%. Based on these risk estimates we decided to skip the vaccine.

She also recommended Hep A and B; polio booster; and tetanus. We had all of these for our China trip last year. She said there was no need for typhoid vaccine since safari providers are careful with water supplies. The Masai Mara is just below the meningitis belt so no need for that either. She also gave us prescriptions for Malarone. We still have a stock of Cipro that we didn't use in China. So for $52 each we were told what we already knew! (Our internist told us to go to a travel clinic when we asked if we needed additional shots for Kenya and Tanzania.)

mipmoopy

Thanks to everyone for the info. I really appreciate it. Very helpful and fortunately I live in Fairfax so Fairfax health services it will be. Should be able to get everything (including yellow fever) for about $175. Not cheap but a bargain compared to $425.

Again, thanks much for all your responses.

WanderingBull

I had the shots you mentioned a couple of years ago before a trip to Peru. Check out Traveler's Health Resource 973.450.2400 located at Clara Maas Hospital in NJ easy by public transportation from NY though. I admit that I was shocked at the cost too but lower than what you were quoted.