Yellow Fever Vaccination Needed to Circle Caribbean Sea? USA Resident

[hatchetjoe]

As a pediatrician for many years please consider the following:
1. The primary cost of vaccines in the United States is the liability insurance! So the $240 charge probably breaks down to $20 for the vaccine, $20 for giving the injection and $200 for liability.
2. Many countries do a good job in making sure the vaccine has been properly stored before it is given to you but I wouldn't count on it everywhere. Improper storage can lead to a large loss of potency and therefore you may not be protected.
3. Yellow fever is present in many countries across the Caribbean and can pop up especially during rainy (mosquito) weather.
4. Read a description of the average case of yellow fever and decide how big of a chance you want to take since "there is no medicine to treat or cure the infection" (quote from US CDC)

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by alctel

If you are close to Canada, mine just cost me 40 CAD

...and it come with a side order of poutine!

[scallowayuk]

hi, ive been to the caribbean four times from england, been to every island from puerto rico to grenada, last time was two years ago , have never been asked for yellow fever. possibly dengue fever might be worth checking out i know its a problem in the cape verdes.

[Capt Tim]

I post this from Chaguaramas Trinidad. Since 2008 to now i have cleared in/out of every island between Turks and Caicos to Trinidad on many occasions . While i have been asked if i had any deaths of people or rats, i have never been asked about my yellow fever shot ( which I have had) . Suggestion-make your decision on a medical basis and not a "legal" one.


I have also been asked to identify the names of my stowaways-which raises the question, If i know that- are they still stowaways?? But i digress.


Cruise On !!





Tim

S/V Tevai

http://tevai.life

[james247]

Originally Posted by zstine

Do I need it and is it best to get before I go or get in the islands?...

In a few weeks we are leaving for a year and plan to circle the Caribbean sea. Yellow Fever Vaccines are in short supply in the USA and we have a travel doctor apt in a few days. Doc says we have to drive a few hours to get the vaccine and it is about $240pp (4 people)! so nearly $1000 for the family just for the yellow fever. The CDC states something like "yellow fever is required by XXX, if you are traveling from an at risk country". Panama, Columbia and Trinidad are the only at risk places with a sub note "Only a portion of the country is at risk"


So, Do I as a USA citizen really need the vaccine to enter/leave and should I pay the $1000 here in NJ, or is it easier/cheaper to get in the islands like Martinique or Grenada?? my insurance doesn't cover this.

Yellow fever and dengue fever are vectored by aedes mosquito and malaria by anopheles mosquito. Don't get bitten no problem unless you are sharing needles.
Deet products are your friend. Screens and nets are also essential.

Deet is sold in products ranging from 4 to 100 percent. I like about 30 percent. Yes there are rare side effects but dengy, malaria and yellow fever can make you very ill or kill you.
There are vaccines for yellow fever and drugs to prevent malaria there is vaccine for dengue but it is not approved universally.
I have chosen not to get bitten.
These diseases are not endemic in every part of a country that is listed as being at risk. Australia and Brazil are good examples the required vector mosquitoes are not endemic in sub tropical areas. And even the correct species are not necessarily infected.
Just don't get bitten.

[Copacabana]

Originally Posted by james247

Australia and Brazil are good examples the required vector mosquitoes are not endemic in sub tropical areas. And even the correct species are not necessarily infected.
Just don't get bitten.

On the first point, I think you're mistaken. Aedes Egyptus (the mosquito that can transmit dengue) are found in sub-tropical areas like the southeast and south of Brazil. Even Florida has them. They have a range of about 300 meters over their lifetime, which is why dengue outbreaks occur primarily in more densely populated areas. The only prevention is to cover up, use repellant and stay away from densely populated areas when there is an outbreak. Dengue is usually not fatal (at least the first time you get it), but yellow fever often is. I think there have been 100 fatalities in Brazil this year and there are travel restrictions if you don't have a current yellow fever vaccine. It's worth getting one, even though the chances of getting yellow fever are slim.

[zstine]

We went to the travel doctor at Passport Health in NJ. It was $2,557.70 to vaccinate my family of 4. That also included about $80 of other products we bought. We got... Yellow Fever (lifetime dose) 4 of @ $235/ea, Typoid 4 of @ $174/ea, MMR 2 of @ $128/ea, Hep A/B 2of @185/ea... still have to go back for 2nd dose of the Hep A/B. Doc gave us a script for Cipro and another antibiotic as well as Transderm scopolamine patches and an epi pen (cost not included).

Refused to give script for Prednisone for allergic reaction,

Refused Benzodiazepine a tranquilizer for acute stress,

Refused Viscous Lidocaine for numbing/cleaning wounds

Refused Vicodin or other strong pain killer

Refused muscle relaxant like flexeril/cyclobenzaprin,
Refused Cortisporin otic suspension,
Refused Ciloxan ocular antibiotic,

Refused Ipecac Syrup to induce vomiting

Refused Albendazole for Giardia,


I have a head ache! Attached is a picture of their vaccine price list.

[belizesailor]

Holy crap, thats criminal...get them done outside the USA...probably cost <10% of that for the same vaccinations!

My doc in Guatemala is a graduate of Stanford with a specialization in infectious diseases. He keeps an extensive inventory of vaccines. He gave me my YF, and other, vaccines. Cost was so nomimal that I dont even remember what it was.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by zstine

We went to the travel doctor at Passport Health in NJ. It was $2,557.70 to vaccinate my family of 4. That also included about $80 of other products we bought. We got... Yellow Fever (lifetime dose) 4 of @ $235/ea, Typoid 4 of @ $174/ea, MMR 2 of @ $128/ea, Hep A/B 2of @185/ea... still have to go back for 2nd dose of the Hep A/B. Doc gave us a script for Cipro and another antibiotic as well as Transderm scopolamine patches and an epi pen (cost not included).

Refused to give script for Prednisone for allergic reaction,

Refused Benzodiazepine a tranquilizer for acute stress,

Refused Viscous Lidocaine for numbing/cleaning wounds

Refused Vicodin or other strong pain killer

Refused muscle relaxant like flexeril/cyclobenzaprin,
Refused Cortisporin otic suspension,
Refused Ciloxan ocular antibiotic,

Refused Ipecac Syrup to induce vomiting

Refused Albendazole for Giardia,


I have a head ache! Attached is a picture of their vaccine price list.

Most of those you can buy WAY cheaper outside the USA, in many cases just over the counter. Albendazole for example is commonly available over counter in Central America and is inexpensive. It is used for treating a wide range of parasitic infections.

[dannc]

The OP might want to try a Doc In The Box, aka, an Urgent Care or a drug store with a nurse.

When we went to China, we wanted shots for Hep A/B so we went to our "doctor" which is part of one of the big state university health care systems. The wife got charged for a reasonable amount. For some reason, I think it was a coding error, I got charged either $250/$500 for a "consultation." We tried to get that changed but they refused. We found a new doctor in a small practice that allows us to see the same doc every visit. Not whom ever happens to be there that day and maybe never seen again.

One of the local drug stores has a nurse and they give vaccinations for a reasonable price. Have not needed a Yellow Fever shot but I would give the drug store a call if we did.

Later,
Dan