I am going to Tanzania with my family for a 12-day (non-hunting :-() safari in December. Is there any vaccinations that are necessary. We are staying around Tarangire, Ngorongoro and the the Serengetti. We will also spend a couple of days in Arusha.
The CDC site says that the Yellow-fever vaccination is not essential for all travelers unless "…you are staying a long time or will be heavily exposed to mosquitoes."
So what do most do when going to Tanzania?
Thanks
Jas

Mke sure normal ones are up to date.

Typhoid (tablets now for better and longer coverage), cover up with moz repellent during daytime (dengue especially populated areas) and nightime for malaria.

Have a great trip.

Cheers, Chris

I would get the Yellow Fever shots if my family, was involved.

Get the Yellow Fever, it's good for ten years and if you do any other travelling in Africa you will probably need it at some point.

yellow fever shot is now required for tanzania and kenya, if your traveling to any other countries here, until this yr i was never asked for my shot card but now everytime i travel i have to show it.

I keep my Yellow Fever and Hep. shots up to date when traveling to Tanzania or any other place in Africa.

Ask your travel nurse or Doctor.

I started early and just received all my shots prior to leaving to Tanzania in 2010.

The other have the bases covered and i also was asked for my yellow card.

I also take a prescription along just in case for tick fever. You just never know and i could save your trip. the meds were less than $10.

Go to REI and purchase some repellant and insect killer to soak your clothes in and do this 2 weeks prior to leaving. Then wash your clothing and they will be go for about 6 weeks. and the stuff does work as it kills ticks and the flys left me alone.

Jas,

Go to the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/, get whatever they prescribe for Tanzania and you'll be happy.

Mark

Jas,

We were in Tanzania this past September. Husband did Kilimanjaro, and I joined him afterwards for the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti part of the trip.

We both had the yellow fever vaccination, but neither one of us was asked to show "the card" upon entering the country at Kilimajaro Airport.

One suggestion you might want to ask your doctor about is an Epi-pen. I did not know I was allergic to bee stings until I was stung and had a very serious allergic reaction. I was at home so the emergency room was very close. Now I carry one all the time, especially on these types of trips.

You and your family will have a great trip, amazing amount of animals.

My wife and I are going in Jan for 3 weeks on a self guided/driven camping trip. From what we understand we don't need yellow fever shots coming from the US. We are just going to take anti malarial pills. Hepatitus A vac might be a good idea. We will be cooking our own food so we will skip it.

What is it with the vaccination avoidance issue? For the sake of your loved ones, get all the recommended shots!

I return to africa annually for the past 20 years and I update my vaccinations yearly, as needed. I have a lot that the casual traveler may not need, including rabies, a polio update and many more. Don't be stupid; get the shots!

BTW, although CDC may no longer recommend Yellow Fever, I believe Kenya and Tanz still require it for entry. It would be a shame to travel that far and be denied entry.

As to cooking your own food, where do you plan on acquiring the food you intend to prepare? Perhaps you are traveling with 3 weeks of food supplies from the U.S.?

Malaria: Prophylaxis with Lariam (mefloquine), Malarone (atovaquone/proguanil), or doxycycline is recommended for all areas at altitudes less than 1800 m.

Vaccinations:
Polio

One-time booster recommended for any adult traveler who completed the childhood series but never had polio vaccine as an adult

Yellow fever

Recommended only for those at risk for a large number of mosquito bites. Required for travelers arriving from a yellow-fever-infected country in Africa or the Americas

Hepatitis A

Recommended for all travelers

Typhoid

Recommended for all travelers

Hepatitis B

Recommended for all travelers

Rabies

For travelers spending a lot of time outdoors, or at high risk for animal bites, or involved in any activities that might bring them into direct contact with bats

Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)

Two doses recommended for all travelers born after 1956, if not previously given

Tetanus-diphtheria

Revaccination recommended every 10 years

quote:

What is it with the vaccination avoidance issue? For the sake of your loved ones, get all the recommended shots!

I return to africa annually for the past 20 years and I update my vaccinations yearly, as needed. I have a lot that the casual traveler may not need, including rabies, a polio update and many more. Don't be stupid; get the shots!

BTW, although CDC may no longer recommend Yellow Fever, I believe Kenya and Tanz still require it for entry. It would be a shame to travel that far and be denied entry.

As to cooking your own food, where do you plan on acquiring the food you intend to prepare? Perhaps you are traveling with 3 weeks of food supplies from the U.S.?

I once got VERY ill from a tetnus shot before my first safari years ago. I also know 2 people who contracted yellow fever from the shot. The tanzanian website says you do not need the card if you are coming from the US. Also mant doctors don't recomend the shot if you are older. You can get a waiver. As for the food issue. We have done this type of trip before. We buy canned food, fresh meat that we cook properly, and bottled water. That said everybody needs to do what they think is best.

I travel to Kenya and Tanzania often. I am almost always asked to show my WHO card, if anyone is manning the health inspection desk at entry.

This from the Tanzanian Govt
Yellow fever cert requirment

Regardless, I've always been of the impression that Yellow Fever is required. They ask for documentation upon entry. I've heard of a scam where if you don't have the documentation they will sell you a vaccine for $500 US (your really have no choice at that point). If they do that, look at the syringe. Yellow fever vaccine is not clear -- you are probably buying saline. Best to just get the vaccine before you leave and take your yellow card with you to prove it.

quote:

Originally posted by Trapper Tom:

quote:

What is it with the vaccination avoidance issue? For the sake of your loved ones, get all the recommended shots!

I return to africa annually for the past 20 years and I update my vaccinations yearly, as needed. I have a lot that the casual traveler may not need, including rabies, a polio update and many more. Don't be stupid; get the shots!

BTW, although CDC may no longer recommend Yellow Fever, I believe Kenya and Tanz still require it for entry. It would be a shame to travel that far and be denied entry.

As to cooking your own food, where do you plan on acquiring the food you intend to prepare? Perhaps you are traveling with 3 weeks of food supplies from the U.S.?

I once got VERY ill from a tetnus shot before my first safari years ago. I also know 2 people who contracted yellow fever from the shot. The tanzanian website says you do not need the card if you are coming from the US. Also mant doctors don't recomend the shot if you are older. You can get a waiver. As for the food issue. We have done this type of trip before. We buy canned food, fresh meat that we cook properly, and bottled water. That said everybody needs to do what they think is best.

No offense, but BS on knowing two people that CONTRACTED yellow fever from the immunization. Febrile reaction, sure, but not yellow fever from the 17D live attenuated vaccine. There is also a risk of yellow fever vaccine viscerotrophic disease, but the risk of that is 13 cases after 100 million world wide doses.

YF vaccine is very safe.

The only palce i have been asked for yellow fever vaccination cert in Tanzania and Kenya was at Zanzibar airport on arrival from Dar when i went diving there.

But they may ask at entry points.

Good travelling, Cheers, Chris

quote:

No offense, but BS on knowing two people that CONTRACTED yellow fever from the immunization. Febrile reaction, sure, but not yellow fever from the 17D live attenuated vaccine. There is also a risk of yellow fever vaccine viscerotrophic disease, but the risk of that is 13 cases after 100 million world wide doses.



YF vaccine is very safe.

No offense taken. I should have been more clear. I do know they got very sick and one of them was hospitalized and missed another hunt he was scheduled on. Must not have been the fever but whatever it was it didn't agree with them.

Don't wait until the last minute for the Yellow Fever vaccine. It is live serum, and most clinics that administer it create a "group" of clients that need it, then have it delivered, and you go within 24 hours to get vaccinated. You may wait a week or more.

i got my YF vac about a month ago at the county health dept. walked in( with an appointment) and 1 hour later walked out with a polio booster, Hep A SHOT( second to come in 6 months) and the YF vac. total cost was about $200- cheap insurance….

JAS; I also will be near Tarangare next month on safari. I took the yellow fever shot,am currently doing the typhoid series and will start the malaria soon after that. No sense in getting sick even if its a long shot.

As an aside, the WHO has stated YF boosters are no longer necessary. CDC still recommends shot every ten years, but is supposedly mulling over the change as well and updating their recommendation.


http://www.who.int/mediacentre...130517/en/index.html


One YF shot for life would be nice.

I think the only thing you absolutely need is Yellow Fever. Biebs gives good advice. Sometimes you cant find it and on some rare occasions, people get a reaction. I wouldn't wait until the last moment. Good news is it's good for 10 years.

Yellow Fever used to be required for Tanzania. They stopped the requirement around 03? I wouldn't dream of going to Tanz without it.

Also, there is no substitute for asking your own doctor what is needed. Advice from guys here can be very helpful, but in the end, seeing or asking your doctor is the best advice. Not unreasonable to go to him with a list of the CDCs recommendations since most docs are not up on what is required.

Travel medicine clinics or county health clinics are usually the best places to get Yellow Fever since primary care docs wont stock it.

when i went to the county health dept and asked what i needed, the asked which country. when told the country, they immediately pulled up a computer list( that is updated regularly) and told me. got the shots and pills and was out of there in under an hour.

I just cannot figure out why everyone is getting their knickers in a twist over vaccinations to Tanzania.
Firstly, there is no prevalence of Yellow Fever in the country.
Secondly, it is not a requirement unless you live in a country where YF is endemic.
Thirdly, I have travelled back and forth on countless occasions and have never been asked to show my vaccination booklet at any of my destinations including Dar es Salaam, upon returning.

This might help clarify any doubts:

tanzaniahighcommission.co.uk/index.php?option=com...view...

You are absolutely right. There are no required vaccinations for Tanzania, when traveling to that country from the US. That is the CDC's present recommendation.
The problem with going to one of the travel clinics is that as soon as you walk into the door and say that you are going to Tanzania and you are there for the vaccinations that you need, out comes a list a foot long with all the vaccinations known to man. This actually happened to me. The travel clinic is a few doors down from my office and I walked in there one day when just the "nurse" was there and she was very happy to provide me with the list of vaccinations that she could shoot me up with. I took the list and it was then that I posted the question at the very top.
The best advice: Check the CDC website for the required and recommended vaccinations and prophylactics.
Thanks for the lively discussion.
Jas