vaccines

We will be taking a panama canal cruise shortly. Will only be doing excursions recommended by the ship. Some do include a lunch. The drs put a fear in you regarding the vaccines. Can anyone tell me if you have taken such a cruise (ports being Guatemala, costa rica, Columbia and grand caymans) and if you did the hepatitis a vaccine. If you check out the center for disease control website they want you to have several shots but is it really necessary?

NONE of the ports require you to have any vaccines. If your doctor feels you have a condition that could be exacerbated without a vaccine, follow his/her recommendations!

We will be taking a panama canal cruise shortly. Will only be doing excursions recommended by the ship. Some do include a lunch. The drs put a fear in you regarding the vaccines. Can anyone tell me if you have taken such a cruise (ports being Guatemala, costa rica, Columbia and grand caymans) and if you did the hepatitis a vaccine. If you check out the center for disease control website they want you to have several shots but is it really necessary?

My doctor recommended the Hep A for this reason: HAV is found in the feces (poop) of people with hepatitis A and is usually spread by close personal contact (including sex or living in the same household). It can also be spread by eating food or drinking water contaminated with HAV and by traveling internationally where HAV infection is occurring.

The recommendation for it includes: People who travel or work in any area of the world except the U.S., Canada, Western Europe, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.

From what I've read, you really don't want to get Hep A, and it's just so much easier to get the vaccine.

Also recommended to be up to date on all "regular" vaccines. I also get the flu shot annually, because we travel for upwards of 20-30 days at a time, and onboard the ship you are in close contact with over 2000 of your new best friends.

No shots really needed for the Caribbean.

But if you decide to start cruising in other parts of the world like Europe or South America -- get the shots.

Our doctor had us get Hep A and Hep B many years ago along with the yellow fever shots. We do get yearly flu shots and last year we got the new pneumonia shot for elderly people -- Prenar. Every 10 years you should get a tetanus shot -- it is now a combination shot of diphtheria/ tetanus/Pertussis.

We will be taking a panama canal cruise shortly. Will only be doing excursions recommended by the ship. Some do include a lunch. The drs put a fear in you regarding the vaccines. Can anyone tell me if you have taken such a cruise (ports being Guatemala, costa rica, Columbia and grand caymans) and if you did the hepatitis a vaccine. If you check out the center for disease control website they want you to have several shots but is it really necessary?

Below is my response to another poster on a different board about this issue. Trust me that while HepA is not required for your cruise it is a vaccine that all travelers should receive and that is currently among the routine vaccines given in childhood. You could easily be exposed to this at your local salad bar or vegetable stand so why not just do it.

While the OP was inquiring only about Hep A, both Hep A and B have been routinely given in the US for well over 10 years. Actually Hep B has been given for even longer with the first dose being administered to infants prior to their departure from the hospital after birth. Both of these vaccines are high benefit and low risk.

As others have pointed out Hep A is transmitted by the fecal- oral route. In my years of practice the most common source of spread was a silent carrier usually working in a school cafeteria or some other food service where uncooked items, think salad bar, was the source of contamination. Hence all the signs in restaurant bathrooms reminding employees to wash their hands before returning to work.

I would recommend HepA to all travelers and still caution them to be careful of food from street vendors. No vaccine is 100% effective so common sense regarding exposure is still worthwhile.

Below is my response to another poster on a different board about this issue. Trust me that while HepA is not required for your cruise it is a vaccine that all travelers should receive and that is currently among the routine vaccines given in childhood. You could easily be exposed to this at your local salad bar or vegetable stand so why not just do it.

 

While the OP was inquiring only about Hep A, both Hep A and B have been routinely given in the US for well over 10 years. Actually Hep B has been given for even longer with the first dose being administered to infants prior to their departure from the hospital after birth. Both of these vaccines are high benefit and low risk.

As others have pointed out Hep A is transmitted by the fecal- oral route. In my years of practice the most common source of spread was a silent carrier usually working in a school cafeteria or some other food service where uncooked items, think salad bar, was the source of contamination. Hence all the signs in restaurant bathrooms reminding employees to wash their hands before returning to work.

I would recommend HepA to all travelers and still caution them to be careful of food from street vendors. No vaccine is 100% effective so common sense regarding exposure is still worthwhile.

We also take "Dukarol" for travelers diarrhea . Commonly called "Montezuma's Revenge".

We also take "Dukarol" for travelers diarrhea . Commonly called "Montezuma's Revenge".

AFAIK, Dukoral is not available in US.

From what I've read, you really don't want to get Hep A, and it's just so much easier to get the vaccine..

Not, you really don't want to get Hep A. I had the misfortune to catch it when I was a teenager and was really ill for several weeks.

We will be taking a panama canal cruise shortly. Will only be doing excursions recommended by the ship. Some do include a lunch. The drs put a fear in you regarding the vaccines. Can anyone tell me if you have taken such a cruise (ports being Guatemala, costa rica, Columbia and grand caymans) and if you did the hepatitis a vaccine. If you check out the center for disease control website they want you to have several shots but is it really necessary?

We have done two full transits of the Panama Canal, includung excursios at ports, and have never needed any vaccination.

We have done two full transits of the Panama Canal, includung excursios at ports, and have never needed any vaccination.

Of course it depends on your definition of "need." Certainly, there is no requirement either by the cruise line or any port in a canal cruise to show proof of any vaccination. However, vaccinations for adults are a matter between doctor and patient, hopefully a patient with a modicum of common sense. No one will compel you to protect yourself against Hep A or B or the flu or tetanus or pneumonia or shingles. You are free to travel (most) of the world without any vaccinations at all. It's a personal choice and a personal risk.