Vaccine Requirement

[Responder]

We will be on the Oct 10 2014 Mariner from Lisbon to Miami and just received this from our TA....At our ages we are going to apply to our M.D. for a waiver. We weren't actually thinking of getting off the ship at those two ports due to the Ebola Virus Outbreak...Perhaps Regent will rethink about stopping at those ports...and make a decision soon, I hope.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/27/world/ebola-virus-explainer/index.html

 

Yellow Fever Vaccine Requirement

This Grand Crossing itinerary includes 2 ports of call that require each passenger to have a yellow fever vaccination certificate or a waiver certificate. Either type of certificate must be presented upon check-in when you arrive in Lisbon. The ports in question are Dakar, Senegal and Porto Grande, Cape Verde. The vaccination should be administered by an International Health Regulation approved specialist that will provide you with the official and necessary documentation that is required from you in order to board the ship. You should plan to have this accomplished at least 30 days prior to you departing your resident country for this cruise.

[spindrift]

This reminds me to check on what vaccinations or medications will be required on our Cape Town to Singapore cruise in December.

[Responder]

Sorry....the correct sailing date of Lisbon-Miami on the Mariner is Oct 13 2014

[PaulaJK]

Responder,

 

You should check the requirements directly with your cruise line. Plus requirements for this particular vaccination seem to vary from time to time. You might also check the web sites for admittance to those countries. I say this because usually it does not matter whether you intend to get off the ship or not. The ship must satisfy the countries' requirements in order to be cleared by immigration. Not fulfilling the requirement can effect your being boarded in Lisbon.

 

In brief, if the vaccination or waiver are required, they are [usually] required.

 

Incidentally, we have had the yellow fever vaccination twice and were without problem.

[Keith1010]

It sounds like Regent did let your TA know about this.

 

We visited some ports in West Africa earlier this year on another cruise line where the Yellow Fever Vaccination was required. Ironically, Dakar did not require it but requirements do change all the time.

 

I am sure your physician knows this but be certain that your physician completes and signs the yellow fever contraindication section of the International Certificate of Vaccination booklet. and doesn't just write a letter.

 

Keith

[kennicott]

Yea, you gotta have them. Regent has been back and forth regarding this Y.F. vaccination for the last few months. We are on the same voyage, except Rome to Miami.

 

We all received a couple of email notices regarding this in recent weeks? Those using a TA? Your TA got the message.

 

I have no problem with the vaccination (Ours ran out 4 years ago.), except they are hard to get here in Alaska and I believe it to be a waste of time in this circumstance.

Most often, Google is far ahead of the cruise lines for accurate pertinent info regarding travel immunization. Sometimes the lines tell me this or that isn't required when the opposite appears to be the case because I have checked it out using Internet sources. Then sometimes they say something is required and the Internet says the opposite. More often than not the Internet prevails. Not just Regent either, HAL and Princess are just as screwed up.

 

On an earlier "Roll Call" post I indicated Walgreens well provide the vaccination without a lot of the fuss these travel clinics make you put up with, just walk in, sign, and pay cash. But, I find out that is not true for all states, and Alaska is one of them. It appears the big clinics up here control the state licensing bureau, or whoever they call the board, that has to approve the inoculations pharmacies can provide. Meaning you are pretty much relegated to see a doctor. Now, if that isn't bad enough, a lot of physicians don't accept new Medicare patients. So, if on Medicare, no shot, and they won't allow you to simply pay cash. I already had an appointment scheduled with my GP in about six weeks so they just added on to the appointment a note that I would get the vaccination at that time. They said that it was okay for my wife to get one at the same time, from my Doc, but then they noticed she is Medicare too, and my clinic has a freeze on right now for new Medicare patients. So she has to go through a lot of rigmarole to get one since her clinic doesn't give these vaccinations.

 

The problem here is the Verde Islands. Both Senegal and the Verde Islands require Y.F. vaccinations only if you are arriving from a location where Y.F. is a threat. Since we are arriving in Senegal from Europe, no problem there, but the Verde Islands says Senegal has a Y.F. problem. Turns out that in the far east of Senegal there is a concern.

 

Went through the same a few years ago, Uruguay said that no yellow fever vaccination is required unless you are arriving from a location where yellow fever is a threat. We were traveling from Buneos Aires, Argentina to Montevideo, Uraguay. In this case Uraguay told the cruise line, Princess, that if the ship had only passengers originating in Beneos Aires that hadn't been in the hinterlands of Argentina, like Patagonia, then the Y.F. vaccination was not required, only recommended. I can't understand why Regent can't get the Verde Islands to say the same thing for the Mariner after just passing through the port of Dakar, Senegal, for one day.

 

Now I know what a circus dog goes through jumping through all those hoops.

[kennicott]

It sounds like Regent did let your TA know about this.

 

We visited some ports in West Africa earlier this year on another cruise line where the Yellow Fever Vaccination was required. Ironically, Dakar did not require it but requirements do change all the time.

 

I am sure your physician knows this but be certain that your physician completes and signs the yellow fever contraindication section of the International Certificate of Vaccination booklet. and doesn't just write a letter.

 

Keith

 

That is interesting, and informative. "International Certificate of Vaccination booklet." I wonder how many passengers will board with just a waiver from their doctor but no notation in some "official booklet"? When this is the letter they showed their Doctor as received from the cruise line:

 

"Please note your upcoming cruise includes ports where it is necessary for visitors to receive the below vaccination(s).

 

Health Requirements:

 

§ Yellow Fever Vaccination

 

If guests are unable to receive the vaccination due to medical reasons a medical waiver, provided by a doctor, will be accepted if shown upon arrival.

 

If you have any further questions, please call us at 844.4REGENT.

 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to providing you or your guests with a memorable cruise experience.

 

Sincerely,

Regent Seven Seas Cruises"

[Responder]

Yea, you gotta have them. Regent has been back and forth regarding this Y.F. vaccination for the last few months. We are on the same voyage, except Rome to Miami.

 

We all received a couple of email notices regarding this in recent weeks? Those using a TA? Your TA got the message.

 

I have no problem with the vaccination (Ours ran out 4 years ago.), except they are hard to get here in Alaska and I believe it to be a waste of time in this circumstance.

 

On an earlier "Roll Call" post I indicated Walgreens well provide the vaccination without a lot of the fuss these travel clinics make you put up with, just walk in, sign, and pay cash. But, I find out that is not true for all states, and Alaska is one of them. It appears the big clinics up here control the state licensing bureau, or whoever they call the board, that has to approve the inoculations pharmacies can provide. Meaning you are pretty much relegated to see a doctor. Now, if that isn't bad enough, a lot of physicians don't accept new Medicare patients. So, if on Medicare, no shot, and they won't allow you to simply pay cash. I already had an appointment scheduled with my GP in about six weeks so they just added on to the appointment a note that I would get the vaccination at that time. They said that it was okay for my wife to get one at the same time, from my Doc, but then they noticed she is Medicare too, and my clinic has a freeze on right now for new Medicare patients. So she has to go through a lot of rigmarole to get one since her clinic doesn't give these vaccinations.

 

The problem here is the Verde Islands. Both Senegal and the Verde Islands require Y.F. vaccinations only if you are arriving from a location where Y.F. is a threat. Since we are arriving in Senegal from Europe, no problem there, but the Verde Islands says Senegal has a Y.F. problem. Turns out that in the far east of Senegal there is a concern.

 

Now I know what a circus dog goes through jumping through all those hoops.

 

If you look at the CDC site you will see....

 

How long does yellow fever vaccination last?

 

A single dose protects against disease for 10 years or more. If a person is at continued risk of infection because of residence or travel, a booster dose is recommended every 10 years.

 

Ours expired in March of 2014

 

 

Walgreens does not do this at their Florida clinics.

[Keith1010]

The Yellow Fever vaccination is honored for 10 years.

 

In most states in the USA Walgreens is not an option.

 

The issue is that it has a short shelf life so most places do not carry it.

 

We go to Passport Health which has facilities around the USA. We can make appointments there so it is very convenient.

 

In the end whether or not someone gets this vaccine is a personal decision between themselves and their physician.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

That is interesting, and informative. "International Certificate of Vaccination booklet." I wonder how many passengers will board with just a waiver from their doctor but no notation in some "official booklet"? When this is the letter they showed their Doctor as received from the cruise line:

 

"Please note your upcoming cruise includes ports where it is necessary for visitors to receive the below vaccination(s).

 

Health Requirements:

 

§ Yellow Fever Vaccination

 

If guests are unable to receive the vaccination due to medical reasons a medical waiver, provided by a doctor, will be accepted if shown upon arrival.

 

If you have any further questions, please call us at 844.4REGENT.

 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to providing you or your guests with a memorable cruise experience.

 

Sincerely,

Regent Seven Seas Cruises"

 

If this is all Regent requires then no need to do what I recommend. Many cruise lines require something more substantial and if for whatever reason someone had to be flown to another area due to a medical facility I am just not sure whether or not the letter on its own would be good enough. If it was me, I would do both but that is me.

 

Keith

[RachelG]

The VNA (visiting nurse association) does carry these vaccines and will give them with no fuss, if there is one in your area. Don't use Medicare. Just go outside it, even if you have it.

[Keith1010]

The decision for the vaccination will be made between the original poster and physician.

 

For those who might need the vaccination and are from the USA the CDC site will point you to places in your area that offer the vaccine so if you are seeking one out just go to their web site or you could ask your physicians office to point you in the right direction.

 

I mentioned in an earlier post that we use Passport Health. This is their web site and I believe they have well over 200 locations in the USA. They do not take insurance but they have the advantage of taking appointments so it is pretty much hassle free and a nice environment. They also are travel medical specialists. Again, there are many options available.

 

For what it is worth when we were there on our last visit they showed me a study that was done that actually showed a higher percentage (still relatively low in the scheme of things) of side effects from those taking the vaccine in their 50's versus 60's. I thought that was interesting.

 

http://www.passporthealthusa.com

 

Keith