Vaccinations

[Flowergirl56]

We just booked a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean taking advantage of the cyber Monday sale.  Since we are not using our travel agent we want to make sure we take care of everything.  Does anyone know if we need any vaccinations?  We leave March 17th. Thanks.

[skynight]

None required.

[riffatsea]

I have never gotten a vaccination for a Caribbean cruise!

Your travel agent is not the one to give that sort of advice though.

Your doc should tell you if you are up to date with your normal shots and can suggest others depending on your health status.

[Flowergirl56]

Thanks. Riffatsea I planned on doing that because of my medication but wanted to see what you ‘experts’ had to say.

[cougaraz]

Highly recommend checking any travel destination with the CDC's website, updated and contains great information on what is mandatory, recommended and optional.

 

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

[OCruisers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Assuming you're from the USA so you'll NOT need any additional vaccinations for your port stops.  

Enjoy your cruise!  

[Roatanfans]

You shouldn't need any- however if you are an adventurous eater or like to go out into jungle/rainforest or swampy areas you might want to make sure you are up to date on your hepatitis shots and bring bug spray!

 

[RDC1]

if you plan on doing international travel that involves 3rd world countries I would get hep A/B, and if you are under 65 and plan to ever visit any countries with a history of yellow fever I would get that as well.

 

as people have already indicated you do not have to get any when taking a caribbean cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

Enjoy your cruise.

[Grandma Dazzles]

You don’t need any specific shots for a Caribbean cruise. It’s a good idea to make sure your shots are up to date. I am thinking tetanus, flu, hepatitis and standard childhood shots. Also be cognizant of any travel advisories issued by the CDC , such as those for the Zitka virus. 

[mef_57]

If you are young enough to have pregnancy on your mind, definitely be sure to read up on Zika virus. It stays around in semen longer than originally thought. If you are well past pregnancy age, hope you had a laugh......but still take bug spray

[Underwatr]

Bear in mind that the CDC recommendations are primarily for the benefit of an individual spending some time in a particular location, and for a cruise ship day visitor who primarily eats in a tourist restaurants if not on the ship, and who will sleep onboard in air-conditioned comfort, the CDC guidance will involve a certain level of overkill.

 

Certain areas of the Dominican Republic are seeing incidents of malaria but few if any cruise ship day-visitors would be expected to take a course of anti-malarial drugs for several days before and after their port call.

 

We got the hepatitis and Yellow Fever shots many years ago before trips to Thailand and Kenya, but if only consider them if i was going to spend a free nights somewhere in the Caribbean off of a major resort.

 

Zika is its own issue, but the protection there is not in a vaccine but in insect repellent and deciding in advance what the risk is of passing it onto an unborn child.

[cb at sea]

NO vaccinations are needed for ANY of your ports.  

[bob brown]

The only one close to the Caribbean that I have seen recommendation's for sometimes, is for Cartagena, Colombia, which is often visited on Panama Canal cruises, for Malaria....

[Keith1010]

No vaccinations are required as others have said.

 

Good opportunity to be sure all of your regular vaccinations are up to date.

 

Keith

[MicCanberra]

Yellow fever would be a good idea if going where mosquitoes might be prevalent (mangroves, etc) as it is endemic in the Caribbean..

[mef_57]

Yellow fever is NOT endemic to all Caribbean islands. However, depending on the itinerary, you may require the yellow fever certificate if having been to an endemic country. Many requirements for proof of yellow fever is to protect their country from carriers (the traveller).

However, as OP is visiting southern Carribbean, which is closer to endemic countries, then further review with a travel health professional is recommended.

[MicCanberra]

WHO lists most of the countries Central and South America along with the Caribbean as having Yellow Fever. Like I said, if you are going to an area where mosquitoes may be present., beware. Also check if you particular country will allow you back in after visiting some of these countries, especially if you do not have a vaccination certificate.

[mef_57]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

WHO lists most of the countries Central and South America along with the Caribbean as having Yellow Fever. Like I said, if you are going to an area where mosquitoes may be present., beware. Also check if you particular country will allow you back in after visiting some of these countries, especially if you do not have a vaccination certificate.

I understand what you are getting at, and unfortunately, yes, it is spreading outside South America into Central America and some islands.  the map, however, isn't just about endemic countries.  It also covers ones where certificates are required if entering from endemic countries.  There is a difference, but it doesn't show well on the map.  I wish they had a larger more detailed Caribbean map.

Here is the WHO list by country with specifics by country

https://www.who.int/ith/ITH_Annex_I.pdf

I know Australia is very strict about also having vaccines to return to country and protecting from innocent foreign transfers.  (cloves, comes to mind, as well as other seeds considered to be 'spices' by a lot of the world).  It has very right to be strict and the bonus means alert and mindful travelers.

[SRF]

Yellow fever is present in the southern US.  But not in large amounts.

 

Best thing is to talk to a travel medicine professional.  You normal doctor will probably just look up the CDC site.

 

I would have a current (less than 10, preferably 5 years) tetanus, Hep A&B series, and for older people pneumococcal vaccinations at a minimum.  Flu vaccine in the season.

 

Hep A&B, if you had the 3 shot series, is supposedly lifetime protection.

 

There is now also a recommendation for a one time adult polio booster (after age 18).  And a few countries that you should have a recent booster, but they are not cruise ship destinations.

 

 

[MicCanberra]

Best to make an informed decision anyway.

[new_cruiser]

8 hours ago, mef_57 said:

I understand what you are getting at, and unfortunately, yes, it is spreading outside South America into Central America and some islands.  the map, however, isn't just about endemic countries.  It also covers ones where certificates are required if entering from endemic countries.  There is a difference, but it doesn't show well on the map.  I wish they had a larger more detailed Caribbean map.

Here is the WHO list by country with specifics by country

https://www.who.int/ith/ITH_Annex_I.pdf

I know Australia is very strict about also having vaccines to return to country and protecting from innocent foreign transfers.  (cloves, comes to mind, as well as other seeds considered to be 'spices' by a lot of the world).  It has very right to be strict and the bonus means alert and mindful travelers.

The CDC has an easier to read list of countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2018/infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/yellow-fever#5291
They only list countries in Central and South America (Panama was the only Central America country on the list that I spotted) and Africa. None of the Caribbean countries are on the list.

They also have clear maps if you scroll down that page.

 

There is per country information including both country requirements, risk of transmission and links to more detailed maps on:

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2018/infectious-diseases-related-to-travel/yellow-fever-malaria-information-by-country

 

I'm going to Panama in January and Thailand in April. Panama is on the list of countries with a transmission risk but the canal zone and other areas we will be visiting are not in the part of Panama where it is endemic. Thailand requires vaccination if you are traveling from country with risk of transmission. I was concerned about whether I would need the vaccination to enter Thailand because of the recent visit to Panama even though I medically didn't need it. So, I double checked with the travel nurse at my health plan and was told that the requirement is only if you have been in a country with risk of transmission very recently (IIRC she said less than 6 weeks ago). 

[new_cruiser]

7 hours ago, SRF said:

Yellow fever is present in the southern US.  But not in large amounts.

 

Best thing is to talk to a travel medicine professional.  You normal doctor will probably just look up the CDC site.

 

I would have a current (less than 10, preferably 5 years) tetanus, Hep A&B series, and for older people pneumococcal vaccinations at a minimum.  Flu vaccine in the season.

 

Hep A&B, if you had the 3 shot series, is supposedly lifetime protection.

 

There is now also a recommendation for a one time adult polio booster (after age 18).  And a few countries that you should have a recent booster, but they are not cruise ship destinations.

 

 

 

On the list of vaccines that are a good idea to routinely have for travel outside the US, our travel clinic also suggested a pertussis booster since I hadn't had one as an adult. That is given along with tetanus and diphtheria in a Tdap vaccine. 

 

It is an example of something that a travel medicine professional might recommend that is not on your regular vaccine schedule as I had just recently had my normal 10-year Td booster and had asked at the time about whether it should be Tdap. Was told that I didn't need a pertussis booster. Then later had the travel clinic appointment and found because of the travel that I should have Tdap and had to get the extra vaccination (fortunately free and the second one didn't make my arm hurt like the first one).

 

If you are of an age to be at risk for shingles, it would be a good idea to get the new shingles vaccine. Travel doesn't increase your risk for shingles as you have that from dormant virus from chicken pox earlier in life.  It is just that you wouldn't want your trip spoiled by getting shingles. 

[MicCanberra]

I suppose each country has it's own list of what is required for another country. The best bet is to check the list, and see your doctor for advice and or administration of it if required.

[SRF]

15 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

 

On the list of vaccines that are a good idea to routinely have for travel outside the US, our travel clinic also suggested a pertussis booster since I hadn't had one as an adult. That is given along with tetanus and diphtheria in a Tdap vaccine. 

 

It is an example of something that a travel medicine professional might recommend that is not on your regular vaccine schedule as I had just recently had my normal 10-year Td booster and had asked at the time about whether it should be Tdap. Was told that I didn't need a pertussis booster. Then later had the travel clinic appointment and found because of the travel that I should have Tdap and had to get the extra vaccination (fortunately free and the second one didn't make my arm hurt like the first one).

 

If you are of an age to be at risk for shingles, it would be a good idea to get the new shingles vaccine. Travel doesn't increase your risk for shingles as you have that from dormant virus from chicken pox earlier in life.  It is just that you wouldn't want your trip spoiled by getting shingles. 

 

Yes, good idea.  I had a TDAP the time before last.

 

But I keep a full spectrum of pretty much every vaccination, due to short notice, world-wide, travel for work.

 

I have even had the rabies and encephalitis series.