These days the recommended jabs for Tunisia are exactly the same as Americans are recommended to have done before visiting the UK and they are the same as the ones that even if you live here GPs recommend that you have the regular boosters for. Even if you never step outside of the UK it is good practice to ensure that you keep up to date with the boosters for Polio, Tetanus, Diptheria and Hep A. It is only by maintaining the levels of the 'herd' immunity that these diseases are no longer the scourge they once were in the UK.

SM

has any one been to tunisia without there jabs and had problems thanks

yes i was there twice last year without any

Is there any jabs i should get before i go to tunisia, as the guide books say no but its better safe then sorry any help will be great.
thanks again

dont think you really need any, but they do recommend some, think we had typhoid, hep a(?) and tetnus, if not up to date, might as well have them done as they cover you for around ten years so you are more or less safe for most countries

I never bothered with them in the past but last year I was talking to the nurse at the doctor's and mentioned I was off back to Tunisia. She mentioned the jabs and offered to give them to me there and then so I had them done - the same ones as Nadine. They certainly aren't essential though.

I've got all the jabs DTP and Havrix also, better be safe than sorry and they last for 10-15 years.
You got to start several weeks in advance before travelling though.

Hi
just wanted to ask about anti Malaria tablets for tunisia and where I can get them, as for some reason the nurse in mty local travel clinic thinks we dont need them is this correct???
fiona

as for some reason the nurse in mty local travel clinic thinks we dont need them

This is because Malaria is not endemic in Tunisia so there is no need to take an anti-Malaria prophylactic. There is no need to take any additional precautions over and above making sure that your 'boosters' for Tetanus, Polio, Diptheria and Hep A are up to date. Even if you never step foot out of the UK it is always advisable to make sure that you have the boosters for the above diseases as and when they become due. Tetanus is nasty and you can get it just from digging your own garden if you have broken skin! Better safe than sorry is always my motto but Tunisia is not a known Malarial area and I've never heard of anyone being advised to take medication for it when travelling to Tunisia especially when staying at one of the coastal resorts.

SM

SMA and Brair HT Mod,

Thanks for this, and yes all our (family too) Vaccs are up to date, it's something I'm very particular about, as I had a nasty bout of Salmonella in Turkey in 2002.

Fiona

I think some of the information on this thread is a tad misleading - having the recommended innoculations will not ensure that you are immune to the usual stomach upsets when travelling abroad (diarrhoea etc.) and you can still get food poisoning caused by salmonella etc irrespective of whether you've been innoculated. The innoculations will only safeguard you against those particular (serious) diseases/illnesses that they are intended for, and a 'common sense' approach to eating and drinking (water or the harder stuff!), personal hygeine etc. is still the most important preventative measure against the most common health complaints when travelling abroad.

Zahara,
I totally agree, and I take every precaution, also I take anti bacterial gel and anti bacterial wipes with me when I 'm out and about, due to lack of soap in toilets etc
fiona

I think some of the information on this thread is a tad misleading - having the recommended innoculations will not ensure that you are immune to the usual stomach upsets when travelling abroad (diarrhoea etc.) and you can still get food poisoning caused by salmonella etc irrespective of whether you've been innoculated.

I don't think the information on this thread is misleading - I can see no instance of anybody saying that innoculations will protect you from anything other than the disease they are designed to prevent. Good basic food and personal hygiene is essential wherever you live and wherever you travel but similarly it won't prevent you from catching any of the diseases that visitors to Tunisia are recommended to ensure they have an up to date vaccination record for. Differing viewpoints on how much risk individual travellers are prepared to take with regards to having innoculations have been expressed but there appears to be general agreement that the risks are not very high. Some people are prepared to take the chance and others aren't but they are taking that decision in the light of the same information which is accurate.

SM

I'm obviously one of the lucky ones as I've never had any tummy troubles whatsoever in Tunisia, though I know several people have, and I've eaten in hotels, cafés, roadside stalls and local homes. On the other hand I've had very bad doses of Montezuma's Revenge in Australia and Singapore. The only problem I've had was a nasty cold sore one year, which I think was caused by the heat. I got some 'Zovirex from the chemist which cleared it up quite quickly though.

I went to my doctors this morning and had Hep A, Typhiod,Tetanus and Polio injections. they are not compulsery but its better to be safe than sorry x

Phned my Doctors today re jabs for Tunisia. As a first timer and having read through various comments about Vaccinations for Tunisia I thought I'd ring the Docs t double check.

They said "You must be upto date with booster jabs and MUST have Hep A jab" as well, at least 4 (four) weeks before travel.

Now why if the above is a MUST, why are people not being told by the tour operator before we book or even when we have booked?

If it wasnt for stumbling upon this site by mistake last week then I would have had no idea about the jabs required.

Ok, I have read on here its advisable to have these jabs, but have not read (as my doctor stated today) you MUST have them.

Can anyone add anything to this?

There is no 'must' about it, if you are thinking you won't be allowed in without these injections. They only mean 'must' as in 'strongly advise'.

Some tour operators do give out this info. Thomas Cook always send a sheet of info listing all the countries they go to and what is compulsory or recommended. I agree that they should all do this.

To reiterate, nothing is compulsory for Tunisia, but some are recommended.

Thanks for the reply mehmeh1, my problem is not one about entering the country re the jabs but one that seems has not really been answered on this forum as of yet, the last post before mine was quite some time a go, hence me ringing my doctors to check as I have not received anything from Thomas Cook regarding this.

It may be a personal choice as to whether you get the jabs (according to this forum) but I can only tell you what my Doctors have said to me about it, they didnt say they advised the jabs they said they are a must.

Hep A, is to prevent stomach problems? is that correct?, as we are all (or seem to be) well traveled then surley we have all had stomach upsets at one point or another.

Therefor I would agree that its a personal preference as to whether you have that jab to try and stop the stomach upsets. What I am saying is that my Doctors said that the 2 Vaccinations I have talked about, we must have.

We have had nothing from Thomas Cook about this, neither when we booked nor when we have been into the shop various times to pay bits and bats off our balance, when do they issue such information? When your tickets come two weeks before and then its to late to do anything about it?

I travelled to Tunisia for several years without having the jabs and without having any problems. It was only when I was seeing the practice nurse regarding something else and mentioned I was off to Tunisia in a couple of weeks that she suggested I have them as I was in the surgery, she had them handy and they were free. To this day I can't remember which ones I had, but as my doc now has a record he will no doubt remind me if and when they need to be renewed.