Quest to Asia 2/19/11 - Vaccinations??

[lara68]

We are going on the Quest to Asia February 19th, 2011. We are visiting Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Does anyone know if we should be getting vaccinations for this trip and if so, which ones?

[acruisergirl]

We are going on the Quest to Asia February 19th, 2011. We are visiting Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Does anyone know if we should be getting vaccinations for this trip and if so, which ones?

I'm glad you asked this question. We are on the Quest to Asia leaving 22 Jan and were wondering about vaccinations. Information is confusing about what, if any vaccinations are needed. Hope someone out there has traveled to the area and can help us out.:)

[Despegue]

Hi, please visit the website of the Antwerp Tropical Diseases Institute : www.itg.be

[Skeezics]

We did this cruise last December on another line...but other than checking that our hepatitus and tetanus shots were current, we did nothing else. Only used Malaria pills for Botswana several years ago.

[Project_gal]

lara68

 

Why don't you join us over on our Roll Call for this cruise at: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=991619&page=5. We are a small, but select group!!!

 

Sue

[autumn lass]

I'm glad you asked this question. We are on the Quest to Asia leaving 22 Jan and were wondering about vaccinations. Information is confusing about what, if any vaccinations are needed. Hope someone out there has traveled to the area and can help us out.:)

 

We are on 22nd Jan cruise. We have had the usual Diphtheria, Hep A, Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid for Caribbean cruises but have also been given conflicting advice for this cruise by different health professionals. The practice nurse at our GP's practice says we must have Japanese Encephalitis & Rabies vaccinations only available in UK via a private clinic for the Vietnam element of cruise, the nurse at private clinic who would charge us around £600 for these injections says as we are on a cruise they not necessary as we are not at high risk. Practice nurse when advised of this is adamant we should have them. We are confused.

 

Would welcome others views, experience

 

Hilary

[Albert Ross]

We are on 22nd Jan cruise. We have had the usual Diphtheria, Hep A, Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid for Caribbean cruises but have also been given conflicting advice for this cruise by different health professionals. The practice nurse at our GP's practice says we must have Japanese Encephalitis & Rabies vaccinations only available in UK via a private clinic for the Vietnam element of cruise, the nurse at private clinic who would charge us around £600 for these injections says as we are on a cruise they not necessary as we are not at high risk. Practice nurse when advised of this is adamant we should have them. We are confused.

 

Would welcome others views, experience

 

Hilary

Please lets maintain some sense of reality about this.

Did you tell the nurse you are actually on a 5* cruise ship and not trecking up the Mekong in a canoe followed by packs of rabid dogs?.

I suspect that the nurse may also have part ownership of this private clinic...?!:eek:

[autumn lass]

Please lets maintain some sense of reality about this.

Did you tell the nurse you are actually on a 5* cruise ship and not trecking up the Mekong in a canoe followed by packs of rabid dogs?.

I suspect that the nurse may also have part ownership of this private clinic...?!:eek:

 

Sorry but my sense of reality is fine. I did explain the cruise in detail and I gave her a copy of the itinerary and stressed we would be on organised shore excursions. I think she is being overly cautious, particularly as I have since accessed the govt health website she uses and its clear we will be ok without them but can't get that through to her. The decision is ours and we had decided we would not have the vaccinations. Our concern was the conflicting advice and whether others had had similar experiences or indeed had the vaccinations.

 

Just paid the final balance for the cruise and really looking forward to it.

[Jade13]

We are on 22nd Jan cruise. We have had the usual Diphtheria, Hep A, Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid for Caribbean cruises but The practice nurse at our GP's practice says we must have Japanese Encephalitis & Rabies vaccinations

 

 

Hilary

 

Hep A OK, but the major hospital clinics in the US would not tell you that you needed Encephalitis & Rabies shots....

[Jade13]

As a comparison -

 

CDC - Vietnam

 

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/vietnam.aspx

 

Be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Check the links below to see which vaccinations adults and children should get.

Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life; see the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and routine adult immunization schedule.

Routine vaccines are recommended even if you do not travel. Although childhood diseases, such as measles, rarely occur in the United States, they are still common in many parts of the world. A traveler who is not vaccinated would be at risk for infection.

 

Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

 

Vaccine recommendations are based on the best available risk information. Please note that the level of risk for vaccine-preventable diseases can change at any time. Vaccination or DiseaseRecommendations or Requirements for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Routine Recommended if you are not up-to-date with routine shots such as, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine, etc.

Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG)Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in countries with an intermediate or high level of hepatitis A virus infection (see map) where exposure might occur through food or water. Cases of travel-related hepatitis A can also occur in travelers to developing countries with "standard" tourist itineraries, accommodations, and food consumption behaviors.

Hepatitis B Recommended for all unvaccinated persons traveling to or working in countries with intermediate to high levels of endemic HBV transmission (see map), especially those who might be exposed to blood or body fluids, have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment (e.g., for an accident).

Typhoid Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in Southeast Asia, especially if staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where exposure might occur through food or water.

Japanese encephalitis Recommended if you plan to visit rural farming areas and under special circumstances, such as a known outbreak of Japanese encephalitis, see country-specific information.

Rabies Recommended for travelers spending a lot of time outdoors, especially in rural areas, involved in activities such as bicycling, camping, or hiking. Also recommended for travelers with significant occupational risks (such as veterinarians), for long-term travelers and expatriates living in areas with a significant risk of exposure, and for travelers involved in any activities that might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores, and other mammals. Children are considered at higher risk because they tend to play with animals, may receive more severe bites, or may not report bites.

[alidor]

Agree with the use your common sense answer. We did this trip in January and unless you are going to traipse through some jungle, you are going into overkill. The areas you are going to are all quite civilized despite how exotic the itinerary sounds. For stomach issues, avoid the street foods. Have your regular vaccinations up to date and you'll be fine.

 

It's a great itinerary - enjoy it!

[Project_gal]

Sorry but my sense of reality is fine. I did explain the cruise in detail and I gave her a copy of the itinerary and stressed we would be on organised shore excursions. I think she is being overly cautious, particularly as I have since accessed the govt health website she uses and its clear we will be ok without them but can't get that through to her. The decision is ours and we had decided we would not have the vaccinations. Our concern was the conflicting advice and whether others had had similar experiences or indeed had the vaccinations.

 

Just paid the final balance for the cruise and really looking forward to it.

 

No experience with these vaccinations [our cruise is after yours] but an example from our preparations for our Azamara cruise stopping in India. All advice aout Malaria precautions said that we would not need them as we would be on board overnight BUT our GP's experience was different. The only person he knew personally to contract malaria was a friend, rather than patient, who caught it whilst on a ship. Perhaps your practice nurse also had a personal experence which contradicts standard advice. You need to make your own decision but, if the private clinic [who would gain] advises not to have the vaccinations, that may sway your decision.

 

Have a great cruise either way!

 

Sue

[Albert Ross]

Sorry but my sense of reality is fine.

My comments were directed towards Nurse Ratched and not yourself.

Please accept apologies.

[autumn lass]

My comments were directed towards Nurse Ratched and not yourself.

Please accept apologies.

 

Thanks Albert. I shouldn't be so touchy. She has me wound up as she is putting major guilt trip on us, but we are sticking to our decision not to have them.

 

Hilary

[lara68]

Thanks Albert. I shouldn't be so touchy. She has me wound up as she is putting major guilt trip on us, but we are sticking to our decision not to have them.

 

Hilary

 

 

We completely understand your emotion. We are also so looking forward to this wonderful trip but are also concerned about the necessary health precautions that we should make. There seems to be a variety of opinion on the recommended medical protocal. We just made an appt. with our

GP for next week. I will post what he recommends....

[Jade13]

We completely understand your emotion. We are also so looking forward to this wonderful trip but are also concerned about the necessary health precautions that we should make. There seems to be a variety of opinion on the recommended medical protocal. We just made an appt. with our

GP for next week. I will post what he recommends....

 

For the ones suggested and not required there is also suppose to be some consideration due to ones age and health. You also need to take into consideration any potential side effects or risks of the actual vacinations.

[lara68]

I guess this is why each of us needs to consult our own personal health care provider. There is apparently no one answer to this question.

[tommui987]

I guess this is why each of us needs to consult our own personal health care provider.

 

When we went to SE Asia in February (Hi Jade13!), he recommended getting a Hepatitis A/B shot. The hepatitis shot apparently now incorporates the A & B portion. When asked about malaria, he didn't think it was necessary as the shot was worse than the cure!

 

For what's its worth!

[little britain]

FWIW we have done several land trips around Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, China, Malaysia,Indonesia etc etc - when I checked our vaccination certs I realised we were at least 10 years out of date:eek: - I never even thought of it. OK, some may call me irresponsible but we are still alive to tell the tale.

We'll get our Hep A/B renewed for this cruise but that is about it.

Use your common sense and be sensible. We always eat where the locals eat and not at the tourist spots- local food may be cooked over some bunsen burner but it is in a searing hot wok and fresh and you can see it being cooked before your eyes. And drink the local beer is our other motto! This seems to kill all known germs!

[moseley]

I'm an infectious disease nurse and going on this cruise in Jan. I have had my hepatitis A vaccine series & Tet. Dip. Pertussis, I will be getting a typhoid vaccine and will take Malaria meds, because we will be doing some side trips in some areas that make me a little nervous. I think the most important thing is the inscect repellent, I will be using Ultrathon a deet prep. that does not absorb in liver and kidneys, it's what the military uses. These countries have a lot of "little insects" that carry all sorts of things (Dengue fever...) and the only line of defense is insect repellent. Hope this helps!

Lori

[lara68]

Lori, thanks for your help. Is Ultrathon over the counter, or RX??? Hope you have a wonderful voyage!

[moseley]

over the counter REI has it,and you can get it from 1-800-TRAVMED, I order it from them, just easier to have it shipped to my house! Always end up spending more when I'm at REI!

[baggirl0609]

over the counter REI has it,and you can get it from 1-800-TRAVMED, I order it from them, just easier to have it shipped to my house! Always end up spending more when I'm at REI!

 

 

Lori, Do you know the shelf life of the Ultrathon?

I buy new ones each trip and have so many partial tubes.

I certainly don't want to get bitten but might want to use what I already own if it will be effective.

Thanks for any advice.

[moseley]

It should be printed or embossed on the bottom of the tube.

Lori

[baggirl0609]

It should be printed or embossed on the bottom of the tube.

Lori

 

 

Thanks, Lori,

Do you know about "Ben's"...Is that absorbed into the liver and Kidneys?

Thanks for your help.