yellow fever (1 Viewer)

[trw]

Whilst it is sad to read of the death of the Belgian women 12 years ago if I was going to the Gambia again I am really not pursuaded that Yellow fever is a great risk to my health in Gambia, and would not at all be worried about catching it.
So no I wouldn't bother getting a Yellow fever jab the next time I go.
Most other people I met there felt the same.[I can see why now I have seen the statistics]
Even so some people feel it is right to go along with the GP's medical advice and that is their choice.

 

[trw]

While I'm here, I'm trying to find out how to start a thread to write my trip report.
Can anyone tell be where to look on the homepage?


Padraig[/QUOTE]

If you go to Vacation reports section and click on New Thread [in red] that gets you started.

 

[Dave Williams]

I paid £50 for my 10 year Yellow Fever jab protection 5 years ago. Per annum it's not a great deal ( less than two pints of the black stuff) and it means that I am covered world wide where the risk may be greater.


I posted how to start a thread on your other query Padraig. It's simple enough even if you do only have a degree in medicine.

Get that report in, I'm looking forward to hearing how you got on

 

[delia todd]

While I'm here, I'm trying to find out how to start a thread to write my trip report.
Can anyone tell be where to look on the homepage?

Padraig

It's the Forums Page you need Padraig (not the Home Page).

This link will take you directly to the Vacational Trip Reports forum.

 

[markgrubb]

The risk isn't that great but one of the reasons vaccination is recommended is that yellow fever occurs in outbreaks in suitable areas. It can appear very quickly and folk like us with no immunity can have death rates of up to 50% in outbreaks. The disease has no cure and treatment is supportive. i would definitely get it if going

It's also worth remembering that if you're not vaccinated and get yellow fever then most travel insurance companies will not pay up-it's usually a condition of your policy that you are appropriately vaccinated

 

[Steve G]

I'm totally with Mark on this!

Remember, herd immunity provided by an immunised Gambian population is no protection here.

The main reservoir for YF virus is the local monkey population -and to the best of my knowledge none of them have been vaccinated!

 

[Padraig]

I posted how to start a thread on your other query Padraig. It's simple enough even if you do only have a degree in medicine.

Get that report in, I'm looking forward to hearing how you got on

Degree in medicine has been useless in terms of curing me of technophobia. Maybe I should a psychaitrist,
But I am a psychiatrist...maybe I should see myself. But I see myself on a regular basis..never mind.

New thread up and running now. Thanks for your patience.

P.

 

[terry jz]

I think you also have to take into account the likelihood of getting bitten if I was sitting by the pool for 2 weeks I probably would not have bothered but as birders we tend to hang around in ideal areas to get bit. I went to Cuba last year and had over 100 bites hunting down the bee hummingbird. I think I must be the Mosquitos equivalent to Ibiza.

 

[trw]

I think you also have to take into account the likelihood of getting bitten if I was sitting by the pool for 2 weeks I probably would not have bothered but as birders we tend to hang around in ideal areas to get bit. I went to Cuba last year and had over 100 bites hunting down the bee hummingbird. I think I must be the Mosquitos equivalent to Ibiza.

Where did you go to in Cuba?
I'm going to Cayo Guillermo next month so any useful tips would be appreciated.

 

[terry jz]

I went to varedero But I pre arranged a day trip with a bird guide called chino he picked me up early from my hotel and took me to the Zapata region. Where he had all ready found bee hummingbirds as this was my no1 target.
I believe this is the address that you can contact him on. chino.zapata 'AT' gmail.com
He had excellent knowledge of all the birds of Cuba and I would recommend him to anyone. Unfortunately I did not go to where you will be based so I can not return the favour of telling you the local bird sites

 

[trw]

Cheers!
Padraig has just been to the Sheraton for a day visit.
He had a look at the scrub area to the SOUTH of the hotel.i.e on the TANJI side.
This area is not bad for birds but the most productive area is the gardens and scrubby area to the NORTH of the hotel reception area. i.e retrace your steps along the entrance drive towards the entrance gate.There is a boggy area on your right in the hotel grounds full of birds.
Carry on to the ENTRANCE GATE.When you get there go LEFT past the entrance gate into the scrubby unkempt area.
Take any path you like and walk as far as you want.
This area was full of birds every day.It has a lot of shrubs and small trees.
Have a great holiday!

 

[Robert L Jarvis]

I have YF vaccinations twice and visited Tg twice. However slight the risk might be of following the poor Belgian woman, is it worth it to take a chance.
Another point is in your passport there will stamps for TG, now if visiting certain other countries at the immigration control, may notice the stamp and arguably decline entry if one has been in a YF country and no vaccination record. I hold my hand up in that I am not clear on this point perhaps some other members can throw some light on this. Where ever I travel I always take my vaccination record with me in my passport.

 

[trw]

Terry JZ
Not sure if I made it clear about the Sheraton.
They have a free shuttle taxi to the Senegambia.You book it the day before you want to go.
You just have to pay for the return journey.The taxi driver will wait[he waited 3 hours for us]We paid him £4. to bring us back split between 2 people.
Strangely enough the taxi fares to different locations are cheaper at the Senegambia[they thought were were all rolling in it at the Sheaton!]
So its cheaper to get the free shuttle to the Senegambia and get a taxi there.
Couldn't be bothered to do this myself as the green taxis at the Sheraton were actually very good.The drivers were excellent.
Still the option is there.

 

[DaveAitch]

I've tended to phone The School Of Tropical Medicine for up to date information if there is any doubt.

You only ever need any vaccination if you are going to get "bitten" by something that is infected. In terms of not taking something that is sensibly necessary, I know people who have cross roads without looking and get away with it. The more they try that, though, the more likely they are to not get away with it at some point.

Yellow fever vaccination lasts 10 years. It certainly wasn't necessary to have it when we went to The Gambia a few years back, but that might have changed. As regards malaria,if you go at the right time of year, just sit on the beach in the day and in an air-conditioned hotel at night then there won't be a problem. It was probably the same in Kenya in 1992 - at least it was until FORD (Forum for Restoration of Democracy - I think) kept turning the electric supply off. Seemingly out of nowhere, in the hotel bedrooms, the mosquito population suddenly became alive.

 

[ovenbird43]

I have YF vaccinations twice and visited Tg twice. However slight the risk might be of following the poor Belgian woman, is it worth it to take a chance.
Another point is in your passport there will stamps for TG, now if visiting certain other countries at the immigration control, may notice the stamp and arguably decline entry if one has been in a YF country and no vaccination record. I hold my hand up in that I am not clear on this point perhaps some other members can throw some light on this. Where ever I travel I always take my vaccination record with me in my passport.

I have heard of this happening when traveling between Latin American countries. At the very least, I know that Costa Rica requires proof of YF vaccinations if you are traveling from one of the countries with YF, such as Colombia. When I was participating on a study abroad course in Costa Rica, I heard that a Colombian student couldn't get in because they hadn't gotten their vaccination, and they would have to wait 10 days after receiving it.

I got the YF vaccine before traveling to Ecuador (it was required for entry to the field station that I was visiting), and in general I just go ahead and get whatever vaccines are recommended. Even when the risk is small, I see no reason to take that risk vs. the cost of the vaccine (quite small really, compared to the cost of the trips themselves!). Malaria prophylactics are a different story for me, I'm more selective and only use them if there is a decent chance of contracting the deadly strains.