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Posted By: CayeMarie vaccinations - 05/17/12 06:34 PM
we have been recommended to get vaccinations for Hep B, Hep A and Typhoid for a vacation we are going on. Does anyone have experience or knowledge of where these can be obtained in Belize. Thanks
Posted By: Amanda Syme Re: vaccinations - 05/17/12 07:03 PM
Yes you can get Hep A and Hep B vaccinations - I think Hep B is a series of 2 or maybe even 3 shots spread out over a few weeks.

I don't think you will be able to get the typhoid vaccination but you can check with your local clinic or doctor.

I know in San Pedro we had the hepatitis vaccinations and I am pretty sure Belize doesn't import the typhoid.
Posted By: Diane Campbell Re: vaccinations - 05/17/12 09:29 PM
I think I got a typhiod vaccination at BMA long time ago -- pretty sure I had to go to a pediatrician to get it.
Posted By: CayeMarie Re: vaccinations - 05/17/12 10:01 PM
Thanks so much for the information.
Posted By: Bear Re: vaccinations - 05/17/12 10:10 PM
"Adults getting hepatitis B vaccine require 3 doses - with the second dose given 4 weeks after the first and the third dose 5 months after the second."

Reference: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-hep-b.pdf


"HEP A - For travelers, it is best to start the vaccine series at least one month before traveling. (Some protection may still result if the vaccine is given on or closer to the travel date.) Two doses of the vaccine are needed for lasting protection. These doses should be given at least 6 months apart.

Some people who cannot get the vaccine before traveling, or for whom the vaccine might not be effective, can get a shot called immune globulin (IG). IG gives immediate, temporary protection."

Reference: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/downloads/vis-hep-a.pdf

Note: Immune globulin or Gamma Globulin is unlikely to be avaliable on the island...and I would start these in the States to gain the partial immunity as the likelyhood of these being readily availble in Belize is a good question
Posted By: Diane Campbell Re: vaccinations - 05/17/12 11:42 PM
GG is cool stuff - HUGE needle, goopy liquid - those babies hurt, but at least they don't make you sick.

The yellow fever and cholera are the real pips. You may need to have somebody drive you home from the doctor cause you can get the feva in under an hour. Given my experience with the shots, I'd say they must be worth it - if the disease is worse (than the vaccinations) no wonder it kills you.
Posted By: Diane Campbell Re: vaccinations - 05/17/12 11:45 PM
OH yes, now that we've made the needle-phobes freak out, may I wish you - BON VOYAGE!

Where the heck are you going Marie - I hope it's a safari in Africa or an adventure in the darkest parts of Borneo or something equally thrilling? Well worth the injections ---


Posted By: CayeMarie Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 12:25 AM
We are going to Bali and those are the three that are recommended as well as a flu shot. Some say not necessary but like to be on the safe side.
Posted By: BeBelize Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 12:48 AM
Funny, to come TO Belize from the US, the Travel Clinic we went to recommended Hep A/B (series of three), Typhoid (we took pills rather than shots), and malaria. We did the Hepatitis series but skipped malaria.
Posted By: elbert Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 02:43 AM
Jes, I didn't have any of these shots. I guess I was just luck these 20 + years I've been living amongst these diseased lots.
Seriously folks that crap isn't healthy for you and for sure not necessary, think twice before you inject some foreign crap in your body needlessly.
Posted By: Amanda Syme Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 03:05 AM
I know lots of people who have contracted hep A here, usually a number of folks will get it at the same from some type of contaminated food source. Hep b can be easily transmitted with close personal contact. I know people who contracted hep b here. And definitely typhoid can be picked up here, contaminated water and food.

I haven't had those but have had dengue and rotavirus. malaria and dengue are around too.

Nasty bugs and viruses!
Posted By: Amanda Syme Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 03:07 AM
The worst vaccinations I ever suffered through were yellow fever and anthrax. Dad was in the military and shots weren't optional!
Posted By: Bear Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 03:08 AM
I think that any person likely to be a first responder, or at least more likely than most, would consider these innoculations prudent. I'm all for avoiding unecessary treatments as Elbert mentioned, but with a burgeoning first responder program starting up in SP and the information available about these diseases in first aid training, I'm more for that ounce of prevention than the pound of cure (or worse yet, the lack of that pound of cure).
Posted By: seashell Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 06:42 AM
It should be noted that depending on your definition of "close personal contact", that is not the only way that Hep B can be contracted. Therefore, IMNSHO, it behooves everyone to get the Hep A and the Hep B shots.

I refer to manicures and pedicures and other intentional or accidental sticks or pricks.
Posted By: Diane Campbell Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 01:06 PM
It might be fun to look on up what injections and health cautions are advised for folks who travel to the US.

Posted By: neiljoba Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 01:49 PM
I hope things have changed since 1967. There was the start of hepatitis in our unit in Vietnam. To stop the spread, everyone was dosed with Gamma Globulin. The dose was 1cc for every 20 pounds body weight. Since I weighed 160#, that was a syringe with with 4cc of 'flour and water paste' high in each butt cheek.

I looked like I had golf balls under the skin and they lasted for three days. The pain lasted for a week.
Posted By: elbert Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 02:14 PM
Originally Posted by Diane Campbell
It might be fun to look on up what injections and health cautions are advised for folks who travel to the US.


yep, a body condom would be a good start, it seems condescending when they say get shots to visit us.
Posted By: Diane Campbell Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 02:24 PM
I'm not opposed to vaccinations, but the CDC list for most of these places seems based on "worst location, risky behaviour, worst-case-bad luck".
Then again when you think about how careless people tend to be on vacation perhaps there is some logic in the overkill.

Posted By: elbert Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 02:49 PM
My favorite post on the message board of all time is the Female American Tourist who posted a warning about a local rasta man that had aids. :-)She had unprotected sex with a rasta man she met in a bar on vacation in Central America and she wants to warn us about him!
Posted By: Bear Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 03:44 PM
Nice one Elbert I like it. Precautionaries over casual sex aside its not just worst case bad luck either. With well worn credit to Forest Gump you just dont know what youre going to get (into), maybe its responding to a boat or vehicle accident. Dianes observation as to visitor behavior is on point and the residents of the island seem to like to get banged up as well so perhaps prior immunization in a first aid situation is not so much overkill.

Barring immobilizing squeamishness, our tendencies are to assist an injured person and in doing so there is an increased risk of exposure to blood/fluid borne pathogens. I'm immunized and I carry latex gloves and a mask in my day pack. I would not expect a visitor to necessarily carry these items but when it comes down to it I expect the natural tendency to assist, be it business owner, resident or visitor, would put the Samaritan at increased risk. I simply see immunization while traveling (or living) in countries with higher incidence of the such pathogens to be good sense and most particularly in this type of scenario.

Edit: I'd add that its typical for EMT's here in the States to be immunized for Hep A&B, so its not just Belize when it comes to first aid precautions.
Posted By: seashell Re: vaccinations - 05/18/12 06:49 PM
Agreed Bear. TwinRix (or the joint Hep A & Hep B series of shots) is also recommended for Canada. And everyone has their tetanus shot, right?
Posted By: mommalou Re: vaccinations - 06/05/12 09:42 PM
I am traveling to BZE the end of June for three weeks. Here in Vancouver we have something called "The travellers vaccine and medicine clinic." Great place for understanding the health risks associated with the countries you are travelling to. I too had the Hep A & B shots, Typhoid pills,tetanus shot and was given a script for malaria pills and chronic travelers trots. They showed me a map of Belize and the problem areas with higher probabilities of Malaria and Dengue Fever, some of the areas of concern were San Ignacio, Belmopan and Placentia. I am happy to say that the Cayes although maybe not free of mozzies were not on the list of "infectious" mozzies maybe because of the trade winds??. The health center also carried some mozzie spray that had the highest percentage of DEET in it..way higher than you can buy in a drug store...so needless to say I stocked up!!. I want to experience all that BZE has to offer and all three of these towns are stops on my trip, so even if it may seem overly cautious at least I have done what I can to to keep myself healthy and enjoy this trip smile
Posted By: Cooper Re: vaccinations - 06/06/12 02:44 AM
They now have a new hep a and b vaccine that is only 2 shots one week apart, just got it done on my 10 day trip to the States, probably not available here yet.
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