immunization for Asia

[jarvistjj]

We are booked on the Sapphire Princess Dec. 4th cruise starting in Beijing and ending in Bangkok. What shots are recommended?

[greatam]

We are booked on the Sapphire Princess Dec. 4th cruise starting in Beijing and ending in Bangkok. What shots are recommended?

 

IMHO, Hep A + B and tetanus is "required" everyplace in the world. Just too much chance of getting a food/water born illness from unsanitary conditions. And you can certainly cut yourself on metal or step on a nail any place in the world.

 

Otherwise, unless you plan on going into the jungle in Vietnam or Thailand, malaria is not needed. Yellow Fever is not needed. Just be up to date on required USA immunizations-diptheria, whooping cough, smallpox-all the stuff we all had as kids.

[Spikesgirl]

Go to your regular doctor and explain that you are taking a cruise and what your ports of call will be. They know whether or not medical conditions have changed in the region and what shots might be necessary at the time you are going.

 

Charlie

[greatam]

Go to your regular doctor and explain that you are taking a cruise and what your ports of call will be. They know whether or not medical conditions have changed in the region and what shots might be necessary at the time you are going.

 

Charlie

 

You must have a much better regular doctor than most. During the SARS epidemic, I happened to be at my regular doctor. I asked him about precautions. He kind of shook his head, told me to go to Mexico and get Cipro, and "stay out Asia". What in the h*** did I need the Cipro for???

 

Travel doctors stay up on this stuff. I have found regular doctors are mostly clueless.

[Spikesgirl]

My doctor loves to travel, so that makes it easier, but I've also had a different doctors advise me on travel to certain regions of the world.

 

As for your doctor, I think I'd start shopping for another one, especially one that wasn't up on SARS. Ours even had brochures on it. Of course, we also have a largely mixed community of Asian, Pacific Rim, Hispanic, etc, so that might also be to our advantage.

 

Charlie

[DonahCBrown]

We are booked on the Sapphire Princess Dec. 4th cruise starting in Beijing and ending in Bangkok. What shots are recommended?

Check the CDC website for current recommendations and warnings, but, we're on the 10/17 and 11/2 sailings on Sapphire and just went over all this with our MD. I got a tetanus booster and polio one time adult. We are not risk takers or eaters of street food so did not feel the Hep A & B were particularly required, but both are on the CDC recommended list. Other recommendations are geared more for people who will be in country a lot longer, in more remote areas and/or exposed to agrarian environments, so we skipped.

 

Yellow fever is only required for entry in China if you come from a yellow fever endemic region - Africa and Brazil mostly - so that isn't anything you have to do.

 

Deet bug spray or wipes are recommended to keep away the malaria and other disease carrying mosquitos and other biting bugs critters.

 

Other than that, normal commonsense precautions and you should be fine.

[DonahCBrown]

As was mentioned somewhere around on CC, Sapphire Princess often buys out the tickets to the water puppet show in Saigon at the National Museum. This has happened again, at least on the 11/2 sailing, and probably on others as well.

 

If you have booked a private tour of HCMC and intended to see a water puppet show (which is highly recommended and on the 'must do' list for Vietnam as it is a national folk art) check with your tour provider to see what, if anything, they may have done to secure seating for you.

 

My tour provider has come up with a very enterprising solution, and has booked my group of 16 a private day time show in a normally evening shows only theater. She has other smaller tour groups for other dates, and is actively looking to share her bookings at this venue.

 

If it turns out that your tour provider needs to make alternative arrangements, drop me an email and I'll give you my tour provider's contact information and they can talk.

[greatam]

Yellow fever is only required for entry in China if you come from a yellow fever endemic region - Africa and Brazil mostly - so that isn't anything you have to do.

 

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This is NOT necessarily true. Chinese immigration officials look for visa/stamps from regions that have outbreaks of Yellow Fever. IF you happen to have a Brazilian visa, Peruvian/Bolivian/Columbian (and quite a few other countries) stamp in your passport, it is advisable to have a YF immunization.

 

Chinese immigration officers CANNOT (or will not) distinguish between "endemic" regions and Rio/Lima/Bogota, etc. Unless you speak the language fluently, you may have a futile time trying to explain that you were "only in Rio" and didn't need the vaccination.

 

One of the saddest travel stories I have personally witnessed: Young man going to teach English in Beijing. We were on the same plane from HKG. He was REALLY excited about going to China. When we arrived Beijing, immigration noticed he had a Brazilian visa in his passport. They immediately asked for YF vaccination record. He did not have it-tried his best to make them understand that he did not need it-"only went to Rio for Carnival". He even spoke basic Mandarin. "NO, NO, NO-you need YF."

 

The last time I saw him he was frantically trying to book a flight to HKG, HOPING he could get YF vaccination there. I have often wondered what happened to him. Hope nothing bad!!!

 

I travel frequently to Asia for business. I have Brazilian, Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Columbian and Bolivian stamps/visas in my passport. I am ALWAYS asked for YF vaccination record.

[DonahCBrown]

This is NOT necessarily true. Chinese immigration officials look for visa/stamps from regions that have outbreaks of Yellow Fever. IF you happen to have a Brazilian visa, Peruvian/Bolivian/Columbian (and quite a few other countries) stamp in your passport, it is advisable to have a YF immunization.

 

Chinese immigration officers CANNOT (or will not) distinguish between "endemic" regions and Rio/Lima/Bogota, etc. Unless you speak the language fluently, you may have a futile time trying to explain that you were "only in Rio" and didn't need the vaccination.

 

One of the saddest travel stories I have personally witnessed: Young man going to teach English in Beijing. We were on the same plane from HKG. He was REALLY excited about going to China. When we arrived Beijing, immigration noticed he had a Brazilian visa in his passport. They immediately asked for YF vaccination record. He did not have it-tried his best to make them understand that he did not need it-"only went to Rio for Carnival". He even spoke basic Mandarin. "NO, NO, NO-you need YF."

 

The last time I saw him he was frantically trying to book a flight to HKG, HOPING he could get YF vaccination there. I have often wondered what happened to him. Hope nothing bad!!!

 

I travel frequently to Asia for business. I have Brazilian, Peruvian, Ecuadorian, Columbian and Bolivian stamps/visas in my passport. I am ALWAYS asked for YF vaccination record.

 

I bow to the voice of experience! I was quoting from China Visa service and CDC websites. Obviously, practice differs from the strict interpretation of the rules...

[rkacruiser]

I do not agree with DonahCBrown@msn.com concerning the need for Hepatitis A and B immunizations. Anyone going anywhere in Asia should have these immunizations. Not only does the CDC recommend this but my own family doctor feels it is important (and his family and he are travelers). The Canadian doctor of some good friends I have in Toronto also agreed that these immunizations were needed when they asked him.

[greatam]

As was mentioned somewhere around on CC, Sapphire Princess often buys out the tickets to the water puppet show in Saigon at the National Museum. This has happened again, at least on the 11/2 sailing, and probably on others as well.

 

If you have booked a private tour of HCMC and intended to see a water puppet show (which is highly recommended and on the 'must do' list for Vietnam as it is a national folk art) check with your tour provider to see what, if anything, they may have done to secure seating for you.

 

My tour provider has come up with a very enterprising solution, and has booked my group of 16 a private day time show in a normally evening shows only theater. She has other smaller tour groups for other dates, and is actively looking to share her bookings at this venue.

 

If it turns out that your tour provider needs to make alternative arrangements, drop me an email and I'll give you my tour provider's contact information and they can talk.

 

There are two/three water puppet shows in Saigon. One is at the War Crimes Museum, one is at the History Museum, and one is a newly opened, commercial venture, close to the Sheraton, but only open part time.

 

IF you are going to Hanoi, the water puppet show in Hanoi is better than the one in Saigon (and yes, everyone in Saigon still calls it Saigon). Only government types/tour guides looking over their shoulders call it HCMC.

[DonahCBrown]

There are two/three water puppet shows in Saigon. One is at the War Crimes Museum, one is at the History Museum, and one is a newly opened, commercial venture, close to the Sheraton, but only open part time.

 

IF you are going to Hanoi, the water puppet show in Hanoi is better than the one in Saigon (and yes, everyone in Saigon still calls it Saigon). Only government types/tour guides looking over their shoulders call it HCMC.

 

Our guide got us set up for a special showing at the commercial one, I think - as we were initially going to the War Museum when Princess bought out the History Museum show, but she made this other special arrangement, I'm guessing with the new place, as it is a theatrical set up and normally open only at night.

 

We're only in Vung Tau/Saigon and Nha Trang - no Hanoi on this trip. I had heard that the show in Hanoi was the original and the best, but my guide tells me that the new one is as good as the one she saw in Hanoi - of course, she probably WOULD tell me that, but I think she was being sincere.

[DonahCBrown]

I do not agree with DonahCBrown@msn.com concerning the need for Hepatitis A and B immunizations. Anyone going anywhere in Asia should have these immunizations. Not only does the CDC recommend this but my own family doctor feels it is important (and his family and he are travelers). The Canadian doctor of some good friends I have in Toronto also agreed that these immunizations were needed when they asked him.

 

I didn't mean to imply that these were not good to have - just that each person should assess their risk, discuss with their treating physician and make their decsions accordingly. We went over this (and all the other CDC recommendations) at some length with our treating physician before making our decision. I would have done differently under different circumstances - such as a longer stay in country, more rural travel, etc.

[rollingstone]

Having traveled extensively, including "high risk" places like Kenya, Tanzania & Cambodia, I have NEVER been asked to show my yellow fever immunization card.

I would not travel anywhere without Hep A & B immunizations. If you can contact these in the US, how easy would it be abroad. You do not need to eat street food. Remember the epidemic in Pittsburgh from people eating at Chichis?

I always travel with a supply of Cipro. Imodium just doesn't do the job!!

Contact your county health dept. They will know the shots & pills that you should be taking. They are the professionals, not US!!

[SarasMommy]

I do not agree with DonahCBrown@msn.com concerning the need for Hepatitis A and B immunizations. Anyone going anywhere in Asia should have these immunizations. Not only does the CDC recommend this but my own family doctor feels it is important (and his family and he are travelers). The Canadian doctor of some good friends I have in Toronto also agreed that these immunizations were needed when they asked him.

 

Must have been the same doctor that we visited, because prior to our 2005 Transatlantic, he pumped us full of everything! YF, hep A, typhoid, meningitis, cholera, and pills for malaria.

 

I don't think that DonahCBrown meant that you shouldn't get them, just that they are not required for entry. Keep in mind that even though the instances are extremely low, all these immunizations still carry risks of complications or side effects, so it is important to consider this when looking into the subject. Having said that, I decided that for me personally, the benefits far outweighed the low risks. I even made sure to get hep B before my Asia cruise in April because I have chronic stomach problems and I had visions of needing emergency surgery in some small town in China!

 

One thing I would recommend though is vaccination for travellers' diarrhea. Dukoral, which is the medication that we got for cholera, also protects against e.coli. It isn't actually a shot, it consists of a small vial of medicine that you mix in a glass of water with a powdery substance that tastes like strawberry (or so they claim!). You take two of these doses before your trip and I believe it is about 80% effective. Because of my above mentioned tummy troubles, it is a medication near and dear to me!

[DonahCBrown]

Having traveled extensively, including "high risk" places like Kenya, Tanzania & Cambodia, I have NEVER been asked to show my yellow fever immunization card.

I would not travel anywhere without Hep A & B immunizations. If you can contact these in the US, how easy would it be abroad. You do not need to eat street food. Remember the epidemic in Pittsburgh from people eating at Chichis?

I always travel with a supply of Cipro. Imodium just doesn't do the job!!

Contact your county health dept. They will know the shots & pills that you should be taking. They are the professionals, not US!!

 

They may also provide the vaccinations at lower cost than your health care provider, have things on hand that your doctor would have to order, and be up to date on any warnings that the CDC may have issued, as they are considered 'first responders.'

 

I actually used to be a public health administrator....

[Qit]

We are booked on the Sapphire Princess Dec. 4th cruise starting in Beijing and ending in Bangkok. What shots are recommended?

 

We are also on the same cruise and we have had Hep A, Hep B, Tetnus and the flu, which were all recommended by the CDC.:)

[Qit]

We are booked on the Sapphire Princess Dec. 4th cruise starting in Beijing and ending in Bangkok. What shots are recommended?

According to the CDC - Hep A, Hep B, Tetnus and Flu shot. Get Deet insect repellent (@ least 50%) and Cipro + immodeum. We are sailing on the same ship same time. Qit.