You will find that all inoculations are only "recommended" and not compulsory. However it is up to the individual to decide whether to take heed of the advice or not.

luci

I can't make up my mind weather to take anti malaria or not going to Dom Rep on 30 sept and my practice nurse adviced to take them she looked infor up on internet for the latest vaccines needed. Im more worried about getting the side effects and my 6 year old.

Not all anti-malarials have side effects, although some do I agree.

Perhaps the question you should be asking yourself is, what are the consequences of not taking them?

luci

I know i will end up taking them in the end as you say the side affects could be worse if i dont, dont want to end up worrying throughout my holiday and ruining it
Thanks

the hodges, we took avloclor when we went to dom rep. I was the sane as you as our kids were 3 and 8 at the time. the tablets taste vile, dont take them before eating it will put you off. I suffer lots of stomach probs so wasnt lookin forward to taking them, i took them before i went to bed, had a bit of headache and some blurred vision and a bit of a jippy tum in the morn but not that bad and it only happened whentaking the tablets. these are only taken once a week. with the kids we crushed their 1/2 tab and put it on a spoon with yoghurt or icecream, still didnt taste nice but it had to be done. Dont get the liquid form. You have a take a lot in one go and it really is disgusting!!!! the way i looked at it is it's a personal choice for you to make, what would you feel if you got bit and then developed malaria esp if it was your child. it does happen( not very often) so is it worth the risk? For me ? no! 2 tablets once a week?? it wasnt a major prob.
Hope that helps you a bit.

Claire

Thanks for that i dont think i will take the risk of getting biten as you say if my daughter got bit i wouldnt forgive myself. I have brought Avloclor for the 3 of us you never know i might be lucky and dont get the side effects
Thanks for your help
Leigh-ann.

my boyfriends mum got us Avloclor aswell to take hope we dont suffer from any side effects!! Better to be safe than sorry though I suppose
the hodges I noticed you are going holiday village on the 30th, same day as us.. hope you have a good one

Hope you have a good one too, ijust cant wait
Not long now

MALARIA IN JAMAICA

Please be aware there has been an increase in the number of malaria cases in Jamaica. Information HERE.

what vaccinations are recommended? what are the mossies like.
going last week of july first week of august staying at the gran ventana.

Hi

going to Dom rep in may. How many weeks before do I need to get injections?

Thanks

Has anyone been to Cuba without having vaccinations? Is it really neccessary if you are going to an All Inclusive Hotel?

salsababe,

As long as you are up to date with things, eg tetanus, polio etc, then you don't need anything else. If you aren't up to date, then it's worth having them done. The fact you are stopping in an all inclusine hotel is irrelevant. For further information and recommendations, refer to the FCO website.

Darren

I would agree wholeheatedly with Dazbo - the only ones you need for Cuba are exactly the same ones that even if you never left the UK you'd be well advised to ensure you were up to date with. Check with your GP practice - they'll be able to tell you whether you are due for a booster and then give them to you as necessary.

SM

Going to jamaica in 3 weeks and have had the following jabs:

Tetanus/Diphtheria/Polio (administered in same jab)
Hepititus A (Had one jab now, need to go back in a year for booster which covers you for 25 years)

I imagine this would be similar for other countries in the caribbean but probably best to check with your doctor first, they will advise you exactly what you need to have. Best to have them than not, after all it costs nothing and at least you will go on holiday with piece of mind.

Hi all

My family and i went to Dom rep in 2004, and 2006. Both times we took the anti-malarial medicine. In 2006 the children were aged 4yrs and 2yrs, so they had to take the syrup form. I agree it does taste VILE But once the spoon went in, almost immediately after, so did a large chunk of dairy milk (which we'd brought from the UK and stored in our minbar). so it took the vile tast away pretty quick, and was also used as a bribe to get the kids to take the medicine in the first place!!

My husband and I took the Avloclor tabs and had absolutely NO SIDE EFFECTS. And in fact my husband is taking them now for a trip he's going on next month, and he's absolutely fine. (i didnt even know he'd started taking them, which shows he's fine!).
I think the side effects are rare, but again as mentioned by many others, arent the side effects worth putting up with, considering the worse effects malaria may have on you?!

Hi,We are going to Jamaica in August,visited our DRs surgery today and was told by the nurse that we need Typhoid,Hep A and Hep B vaccinations and that these can only be given as a private patient costing over £200.Does anyone know if this sounds the right sort of price and are all 3 of these vaccinations necessary?

Hi Shazzacat

I've just been in contact with my surgery this week to enquire about vaccinations for my hols to Egypt in Sep. She too said reccomended vaccinations were Typhoid, Hep A, Hep B, and tetanus. I asked her if any of these jabs would be payable, and she said "no - its all free on the NHS". so we've made our appt for the end of July for me and the kids to have them done in good time.
Its unusual that you are being told you can only have them done as a private patient, and then at a cost of £200
I'm not sure whether different 'trusts' make patients pay for certain things ie jabs. so it might be worth checking if this is the case. But even so £200 is very steep for a few jabs!!

hope this helps!

Its unusual that you are being told you can only have them done as a private patient, and then at a cost of £200

It's not that unusual - there are a good many posts on various forums here where people have been asked to pay. Holiday jabs like this are classed as non-essential or elective procedures and it is up to the individual GP surgery whether they charge or not. Some do it for free, others charge the full cost for them on a private prescription and some opt for a compromise. As mine they don't charge for the regular vaccinations they think everybody should keep up to date with such as Polio, Tetanus etc - they just use their own supply kept at the surgery. The more 'exotic' ones such as Hep A and B, Typhoid they issue and NHS prescription for and you pay if you would usually pay for a prescription and don't if are entitled to free prescriptions. They take the line that it save the NHS money compared to what it would cost if you caught something,

SM

SM