Shots What Shots?

[BrnBrok]

We will be sailing in December on a full transit of the Panama Canal. We have the following stops Cabo San Lucas (Mexico),San Juan Del Sur (Nicaragua),Puntarenas (Costa Rica) Fuerte Amador(for Panama City, Panama Canal and Cartagena Columbia. Wondering what shots we need for this cruise?? The 4 of us traveling are all seniors.:)

[Essiesmom]

None needed if you are up to date on the normal stuff. EM

[cb at sea]

None are required by the cruise lines.  If there are vaccines YOU need for your daily life, you might want to visit your own doctor.  

[riffatsea]

Agree that no specific shots are needed for any of those ports.

We are also seniors(I think most on those cruises are seniors) and we are up to date with our normal shots so are not doing any others.

[Oscar13]

We are doing the full transit in April.  Went and saw a travel medical pharmacist and asked what they suggested for the trip.  She researched where we were stopping (much of the same as the OP).  It was suggested we get yellow fever, malaria, and Hep A and B shots.  All of the above last for 20 years or lifetime.   Rather be safe than sick on a trip.  JMO.

 

Karen/Kevin

[CruiserBruce]

7 hours ago, Oscar13 said:

We are doing the full transit in April.  Went and saw a travel medical pharmacist and asked what they suggested for the trip.  She researched where we were stopping (much of the same as the OP).  It was suggested we get yellow fever, malaria, and Hep A and B shots.  All of the above last for 20 years or lifetime.   Rather be safe than sick on a trip.  JMO.

 

Karen/Kevin

 

If you are doing a full transit, with no stops in Panama,  or not going deep into Panama, yellow fever and malaria are really over kill. Have been through the Canal 4 times, including last Nov 1, and never seriously heard any discussions about these vaccines. 

[riffatsea]

Interesting that the travel specialist suggested a Hep B shot? Hep B is transmitted by sexual contact!

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, riffatsea said:

Interesting that the travel specialist suggested a Hep B shot? Hep B is transmitted by sexual contact!

 

You get Hep B from bodily fluids...which may include having sex.

[new_cruiser]

Hep B is generally suggested for travel. Sex is one way you can get it but there is also exposure to blood in an accident or if getting a transfusion that wasn't screened well enough. Chances are pretty small if one isn't having sexual contact or sharing needles, but since one can get it and Hep A protection in the same injection series, one might as well get both. 

 

I'm more surprised that they recommended Yellow Fever vaccine. Yellow fever isn't in the Canal area. Perhaps it is due to the stop in Cartagena?  The CDC says it is generally needed for Columbia though not if you are just visiting Cartagena. 

 

Malaria isn't a shot and doesn't last "20 years or a lifetime". It isn't a vaccine at all. It is a series of pills that you take that make your blood toxic to the malaria parasite while you are taking them so you generally have to start taking the medication shortly before going to the area and continue the pills for a while after leaving. But the pills also have a fair list of side effects that can make you sick on the trip. Given that, taking them for brief stops in Columbia and Panama Canal transit isn't worth the risk of the side effects.

 

We consulted with our health plan travel clinic nurses for our upcoming Panama Canal and Costa Rica cruise. This is a small ship transit starting in Panama so we will have a couple of days in the Panama Canal area before the cruise in addition to a couple of stops in Panama. (We won't be visiting Columbia, but the CDC recommendations look pretty similar). She gave us the option of getting malaria medication, but didn't recommend it and we agreed it wasn't needed. 

 

We will take precautions against mosquito bites. That's wise even if you take anti-malaria medication. They can transmit other diseases such as dengue fever and zika which don't have vaccines or protective medication.

Edited October 21, 2018 by new_cruiser

[new_cruiser]

The travel advice nurse also recommended that I get a Tdap booster for traveling outside the US. I'd had a routine TD booster in September and my doctor's nurse said I didn't need the pertussis component as an adult, but the travel nurse said because of my planned trips outside the US where there is higher risk of pertussis outside the US (I'll be going to Thailand in the spring in addition to the January trip to Panama and Costa Rica) I should get it. So now I'll be getting the Tdap in November (to space it a bit farther from the shot in September but still get it enough before travel to build immunity). Kind of annoying as tetanus shots give me a pretty sore arm for a few days. I should have mentioned my travel plans to the nurse before getting the first shot.

 

I'll also be taking the typhoid vaccine. That's probably over kill for just doing a transit but between the time I'll be spending in Panama and Costa Rica and the trip to Thailand, it was recommended. I'm taking the oral vaccine which lasts 5 years.

 

For Panama and typhoid, the CDC website says:

"You can get typhoid through contaminated food or water in Panama. CDC recommends this vaccine for most travelers, especially if you are staying with friends or relatives, visiting smaller cities or rural areas, or if you are an adventurous eater."

[RemPuck]

We are doing a westbound trip, starting in Aruba, then to Categena, through the Panama Canal and ending in Costa Rica.   I am seeing some really conflicting answers as to the need for yellow fever vaccinations for this routing (note the direction - Colombia before Costa Rica).  

 

Per CDC, vaccinations are not required if travelling from Colombia or Panama.  (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2018/infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/yellow-fever-malaria-information-by-country/costa-rica#seldyfm879)

 

Per IAMAT, arriving from Panama does not require a vaccination (https://www.iamat.org/country/costa-rica/risk/yellow-fever) even though Panama is considered at risk.

 

Per the Costa Rican Embassy, it's confusing.  Per their site (and direct comment from a person at the Consulate), travelling "from" Colombia requires a vaccination.  Except, if travelling from Colombia (and other locations) "in transit at a sea port."  (http://www.costarica-embassy.org/index.php?q=node/109#6 and also click the EXCEPTIONS link - http://www.costarica-embassy.org/index.php?q=node/97.)

 

Needless to say, I am very confused.  We are only in Cartegena, an area not considered at risk for Yellow Fever, and only for a one day port stop.  We stop in Panama before Costa Rica, so we are technically arriving from Panama, not Colombia.  However, we'll have been in Colombia less than 6 days prior to our arrival in Costa Rica.

 

Has anyone done an itinerary similar to ours?  What did you do?  Our cruise line (Windstar) has pretty much washed their hands on this, stating it's my responsibility to be up to date with vaccinations (fine) but not offering ANY guidance as to the country requirements about vaccinations (seems like they'd want to alert passengers to the need for shots so they aren't turning people away at the pier).

 

Any feedback appreciated.

[njhorseman]

5 hours ago, RemPuck said:

We are doing a westbound trip, starting in Aruba, then to Categena, through the Panama Canal and ending in Costa Rica.   I am seeing some really conflicting answers as to the need for yellow fever vaccinations for this routing (note the direction - Colombia before Costa Rica).  

 

Per CDC, vaccinations are not required if travelling from Colombia or Panama.  (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2018/infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/yellow-fever-malaria-information-by-country/costa-rica#seldyfm879)

 

Per IAMAT, arriving from Panama does not require a vaccination (https://www.iamat.org/country/costa-rica/risk/yellow-fever) even though Panama is considered at risk.

 

Per the Costa Rican Embassy, it's confusing.  Per their site (and direct comment from a person at the Consulate), travelling "from" Colombia requires a vaccination.  Except, if travelling from Colombia (and other locations) "in transit at a sea port."  (http://www.costarica-embassy.org/index.php?q=node/109#6 and also click the EXCEPTIONS link - http://www.costarica-embassy.org/index.php?q=node/97.)

 

Needless to say, I am very confused.  We are only in Cartegena, an area not considered at risk for Yellow Fever, and only for a one day port stop.  We stop in Panama before Costa Rica, so we are technically arriving from Panama, not Colombia.  However, we'll have been in Colombia less than 6 days prior to our arrival in Costa Rica.

 

Has anyone done an itinerary similar to ours?  What did you do?  Our cruise line (Windstar) has pretty much washed their hands on this, stating it's my responsibility to be up to date with vaccinations (fine) but not offering ANY guidance as to the country requirements about vaccinations (seems like they'd want to alert passengers to the need for shots so they aren't turning people away at the pier).

 

Any feedback appreciated.

 

We've done Colombia and Panama in that order before Costa Rica and will be doing so again this winter . You don't need a yellow fever vaccination  for that type of itinerary. You're considered "in transit" when just making a port call in Colombia.

Edited October 25, 2018 by njhorseman

[RemPuck]

4 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

 

We've done Colombia and Panama in that order before Costa Rica and will be doing so again this winter . You don't need a yellow fever vaccination  for that type of itinerary. You're considered "in transit" when just making a port call in Colombia.

Thanks njhorseman.  Do you have something (from a cruise line, from a TA, from an immigration agency....) that states that?  That's my assumption, too, that it's just "in transit," but the reply I had from the Costa Rican Consulate made it sound like it was going to be required.

[njhorseman]

3 minutes ago, RemPuck said:

Thanks njhorseman.  Do you have something (from a cruise line, from a TA, from an immigration agency....) that states that?  That's my assumption, too, that it's just "in transit," but the reply I had from the Costa Rican Consulate made it sound like it was going to be required.

 No, I don't have anything, but look at the last link you provided, the exceptions. It's pretty clear.

 

EXCEPTIONS

• Any individual traveling to Costa Rica that has been in transit through: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and French Guyana, whether in airports, sea ports or land borders, will be exempt from the requirement of vaccination against yellow fever.

Edited October 25, 2018 by njhorseman

[RemPuck]

Thanks again.  Yes - that was my reading as well.  However, the Consular employee pointed me to the link and said "you'll be there a full day, that's not in transit and you'll need the vaccination."  

 

I am glad to hear you've done this route before (and will be again soon) and haven't had any issues not having the vaccination.  It gives me comfort knowing that someone with experience has replied. 

 

Thank you.

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, RemPuck said:

Thanks again.  Yes - that was my reading as well.  However, the Consular employee pointed me to the link and said "you'll be there a full day, that's not in transit and you'll need the vaccination."  

 

I am glad to hear you've done this route before (and will be again soon) and haven't had any issues not having the vaccination.  It gives me comfort knowing that someone with experience has replied. 

 

Thank you.

 

Advice given over the telephone by a consular employee is probably as reliable as as that given by cruise line customer service reps, which is to say not reliable at all.  Last year a family member had a long term ( 6 month) business assignment in Europe. Her company contacted the country's consulate in NY City and they were instructed about what type of visa she needed and what paperwork was required. When she went to the consulate to hand in her documents and get her visa it turned out that she was told to complete the wrong form. She was leaving for her assignment that night. Fortunately she was able to complete the correct paperwork in time to get the visa and catch her flight.