Caribbean Imunizations Needed?

We’re leaving in 2 1/2 weeks for a Caribbean cruise. I stumbled across an old article on a British medical website with recommendations for immunizations for travelers to the Caribbean. Some recommendations were for Hep A and Hep B, Typhoid Fever, Dengue, and depending on the Island visited Rabies and others. Should we get vaccinated?

No vaccinations are required.

My advice to you is to get with your medical professional.

Keith

We’re leaving in 2 1/2 weeks for a Caribbean cruise. I stumbled across an old article on a British medical website with recommendations for immunizations for travelers to the Caribbean. Some recommendations were for Hep A and Hep B, Typhoid Fever, Dengue, and depending on the Island visited Rabies and others. Should we get vaccinated?

I'm not sure what sort of health advice the US government provides, however there is comprehensive travel health advice on the UK Gov site at http://www.gov.uk. For the islands we visit there are no recommendations for vaccinations, there are warnings about Dengue and Chikungunya and also the possibility of Zika. If possible avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. If you are still concerned talk to your GP or equivalent.

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Here is CDC

based info, for over 200 countries, and you can customize searches for your health risk issues, e.g., pregnancy, immunocompromise, etc.

In U.S. primary care docs know very little about vaccination requirements for third world countries off the tops of their heads, plus it is a moving target. They either look up CDC data just like you can or send you to the local travel docs at the public health department. In San Francisco area we have so many people coming here and living here from all over the world that there are special travel clinics, but otherwise I would not trust a busy primary care person’s top of head advice.

Your travel agent should also have gotten info.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list

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Everyone, whether they travel or not, should be immunized for hepatitis A and B. Once you complete the series, it is good for life.

Catlover, great link! I live in Atlanta, home of the CDC and should have thought of checking their site. Didn’t realize they had this info out there in such an easy to use and understand format.

No vaccinations by law are required for the Caribbean. As a frequent traveler around the world I have got the Hep A+C vaccination which takes three months to complete (a series of three injections if I remember correctly). Also a polio booster and a Yellow Fever injection for travel to South America and Asia. The Yellow Fever vaccination used to be only valid for 10 years but has now been revised to a lifetime vaccination. Cholera & Typhoid is now done by pill rather than a injection.

There are a few specialists around North America who deal with travel medicine which you can no doubt Google. They will also normally prescribe you some essential medications to carry with you for remote trips. Not cheap, but I think worth the peace-of-mind.

Keep in mid there are a few vaccinations where multiple vaccinations are required.

Keith

On a related topic we have been on a number of long cruises where someone has gotten shingles and that can be very painful.

One one cruise someone had it in his head. He had many sleepless nights.

On another cruise a woman got it in her stomach. She was in a lot of discomfort.

The former Shingles Vaccine was effective in about 50% of the cases and some would say where it was not effective if you got the vaccine and still got shingles the shingles was not as bad as if you didn't get the vaccine.

Last October a new Shingles Vaccine was approved by the USA FDA.

It is not a life vaccination.

You need two vaccinations of it.

You get one.

Then anywhere between two months +1 day and six months you get the second vaccination.

It is 90% effective.

Even if you had the former vaccination it is recommended that you get this one.

Of course consult your physician.

There is a greater chance of side effects such as pain in the arm or some redness and swelling for the first day to three days after the vaccine.

We just got ours this past Wednesday and then will go back to get the second one.

Required for travel? No.

Something that is mentioned when it comes to travel? Probably not.

But if you do contact shingles it is very uncomfortable and would not be fun during your cruise which is why I mention this for those of us who cruise.

Keith

The new shingles vaccination is under the name Shingrix.

Keith