Info' on Needles !!!

[Travelbug 2]

I was told today that we should have precautionary injections for various Med' ports of call. One in particular ----La Gaulette ( Tunis ) we will be on a shore excursion for 4 hrs. I have never heard of such a thing, has anyone else ?? Where can I find out about this ------comments welcome, we leave in 2 weeks.

Happy cruising.

[ejbmorr]

I can only answer your question in general terms. When we took an Amazon River cruise, we had to go to the International Medicine division of our hospital and receive several injections specific to that South American area. We were also given malaria pills to take prior to and while on that cruise.
So, if you have been advised, you can call the International Medicine Division of your hospital and ask what the current requirements are for travelers in the area where you will travel. They will have an updated list, as it changes constantly many places. I wouldn't ignore recommendations as there are some diseases that are carried by bugs, etc, that you can contract without going onshore even.
I hope this helps a little in your finding out what is necessary. Have a wonderful cruise!

[Globaliser]

A good place to start for information is at the CDC's Travellers' Health pages (http://www.cdc.gov/travel/), or more specifically this one for North Africa (http://www.cdc.gov/travel/nafrica.htm).

But if you are going in two weeks, get yourself to your doctor quickly to arrange for the necessary vaccinations. Alternatively, you may be able to get to a specialist travel clinic in your area, which would probably actually have more up-to-date information and better advice. Some of the jabs take a number of days to become fully effective, and it would be a pity to go to the effort of getting them and then not have full proteciton.

My travel clinic always tells me that I really should think of travelling as far as my office without having protection against tetanus, polio, typhoid and hepatitis A. The advantage is that if all four of those are up-to-date, you can actually travel to most places without having to have any more.

[Krazy Kruizers]

With only 2 weeks before your cruise you may not be able to get all the necessary shots. Some shots are taken in a series - usually 6 months between them.

We have had typhoid, tetanus, hepatitus A and B, etc., shots.

And many times when we have gone to Russia, South America, etc., our doctor gives us the larium pills for malaria - which must be started 1 - 2 weeks before you get to that country and continued for 2 weeks after returning home.