Caribbean - Any jabs/tablets required?

[chyanmor]

As our cruise is only 9 weeks away, we have recieved P and O documentation which talks about a risk of malaria when visiting catalina island. Has anyone had experience of this in the past and taken medication for this?

 

This stems from a discussion in another forum - roll call for our cruise - and I thought I'd throw open the question

[geologygeek]

The Dominican Republic and Haiti are the only two countries in the Caribbean with year round malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Hep A, typhoid, tetanus and polio are all recommended for the Caribbean, although I doubt that many people even bother.

 

Since we travel to rural regions in the tropics often we always keep up to date with the injections and have a supply of malarone. Visiting on a cruise ship for a few hours limits the risk of contracting anything, e.g., mosquitoes are more prevalent after dark, when you've steamed off into the distance.

 

I would go to you doctor for advice (or search government websites) on such things and avoid taking people's advice on this board (apart from my own of course!). P&O only gave you that information to prevent potential law suits if somebody contracted malaria. Interestingly the Canadian Government says that Catalina Island is malaria free before 1/10 - interesting!

[StLucia]

I would agree with Geologygeek, ask your doctor for advice. We stayed in a hotel near Catalina Island in 2007 and visited the island. It's beautiful, a real desert island. We travel regularly to the Caribbean and have kept all our jabs up to date for many years now. We also took malaria precautions when we went to DR, as it was advised by our doctor, unfortunately many people do not and the insidence of malaria in those coming back is increasing. It only takes 1 bite. Having said that the biggest problem on Catalina is probably sand flies. Take a fresh beach towel from the ship and do not take it back to your cabin, change it straight away when you get back on. Also take care with any clothing you take to the beach and do not put clothes etc directly on the sand or put them on you bed when you are back in your cabin. We always take these precautions as sand flies are a problem in many places, not just Catalina. Hotels normally spray against these annoying things but not on Catalina as it's a nature reserve. We also use 50% deet spray, normally Boots own or Jungle.

[The Welsh Man]

I would agree with Geologygeek, ask your doctor for advice. We stayed in a hotel near Catalina Island in 2007 and visited the island. It's beautiful, a real desert island. We travel regularly to the Caribbean and have kept all our jabs up to date for many years now. We also took malaria precautions when we went to DR, as it was advised by our doctor, unfortunately many people do not and the insidence of malaria in those coming back is increasing. It only takes 1 bite. Having said that the biggest problem on Catalina is probably sand flies. Take a fresh beach towel from the ship and do not take it back to your cabin, change it straight away when you get back on. Also take care with any clothing you take to the beach and do not put clothes etc directly on the sand or put them on you bed when you are back in your cabin. We always take these precautions as sand flies are a problem in many places, not just Catalina. Hotels normally spray against these annoying things but not on Catalina as it's a nature reserve. We also use 50% deet spray, normally Boots own or Jungle.

 

Thanks for this, its very good advice

 

Carl

[steelerannie]

I agree - thanks very much St Lucia!! :D

 

Ann