BootsnAll Travel Community

I met a guy today who told me that his brother died last year while backpacking in Ecuador. He picked up some strange strain of virus that the doctors were never able to identify.

I am going to Ecuador in the fall and I have met people who have taken the chance and gone without innoculations. I realize that is a personnal choice, but what I am wondering is this. I am not going to that remote of an area
but I have never taken a trip like this before, what have others who have traveled in South America done?

RT

hey starfish, I haven't travelled in S America (yet!). But I did go to Belize last Dec. I made sure to get vaccinations and malaria medications before the trip. My reasoning is..better safe than sorry! Plus I was going to be on an island out in the middle of nowhere...really no quick way of getting health care fast! My insurance actually covered the vaccinations, so I only had to pay $15. Some of them cover me for 20 years, some are for 5 years or so, so I'd say they're worth getting.

I got eaten alive by mosquitos in Belize city...I'd rather take the malaria horse pills rather than get malaria!!

CDC Travel site

Marisa

http://www.geocities.com/mumsawas

Definitely take the vaccinations. Do not be complacent about this! Get all the health info you can. It is so much better to be safe than sorry!

Have a safe trip.

When I was in high school I did quite a bit of traveling without vaccinations (including Chile). However, now that I'm a pharmacy student and studying the matter, I'm realizing that it's actually a pretty good idea. Marisa is right, The American CDC has a list of vaccinations for every country that you can look at to help you decide. There are also pharmacists who specialize in travel vaccinations. Check out the site she gave.
If you have any questions, I have had some vaccination training. Let me know.

I think if your health insurance covers it, there's no reason not to get them!

*bitter about not having health insurance*

I spend a couple of months in Ecuador in 1991 during a cholera epidemic. Before I left, I got vaccinated for cholera, typhoid, yellow fever, tetanus, diptheria as well as a gamma globulin shot in the arse (for Hep A) AND took chloroquine. The worst I got was a dose of diarrhea and a flu that took me a few days in bed to get over. I got all the shots because our local health authority told me I should. Should you? Depends on whether you think they are a good idea. Some people think vaccines are evil and horrible while other people think that because they exist you should get them. Personally, apart from aching a bit, all 6 or 8 shots I got were not a big deal, but I don't think I needed them because I didn't catch anything. Then again, the moment you aren't prepared is when you get stuff.

So, sorry to say this, but it's your call.

Personally, I'd get the vaccinations, but Sky Annie is right -- you need to decide yourself. If I were you I'd read the CDC webpage and then talk to my doctor. I actually spoke at length with a nurse in a travel clinic yesterday and she was really helpful and happy to explain why I needed all the different vaccinations. I now feel confident that I will be getting all the vaccinations I need and not getting any unnecessary.

I'm currently trying to decide whether or not to take Malaria tablets. I've had the jabs for all the other stuff but can't make up my mind about these. I didn't take them the last time I went through Thailand & Malaysia but I have a feeling I'll be off the beaten track a bit more this time.