The Human Pin Cushion

Now that my trip to Africa is a full GO its time to really get sorted on entry requirements and vaccinations.

Starting with the vaccinations, it would appear that I am gonna end up being a human pin cushion as of January 2010. Check out this list of shots I’m gonna need to get:

NAMIBIA:

Yellow fever: Although yellow fever does not occur in Namibia, an official yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required depending on your itinerary.

Requirement: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers coming from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. The countries, or parts of countries, included in the endemic zones in Africa and South America are regarded as areas with risk of yellow fever transmission. Travelers on scheduled flights that originated outside the areas with risk of transmission, but who have been in transit through these areas, are not required to possess a certificate provided that they remained at the scheduled airport or in the adjacent town during transit. All passengers whose flights originated in countries with risk of yellow fever transmission or who have been in transit through these countries on unscheduled flights are required to possess a certificate. The certificate is not insisted upon in the case of children under 1 year of age, but such infants may be subject to surveillance.

Depending on your itinerary, your personal risk factors, and the length of your visit, your health care provider may offer you vaccination against cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, rabies, typhoid, or a one time polio booster if you haven't previously received one for travel. Routine immunizations, such as those that prevent tetanus/diphtheria or "childhood" diseases, should be reviewed and updated as needed.

BOTSWANA:

Yellow fever: Although yellow fever does not occur in Botswana, an official yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required depending on your itinerary.

Requirement: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers over 1 year of age coming from or having passed through countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Depending on your itinerary, your personal risk factors, and the length of your visit, your health care provider may offer you vaccination against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, rabies, typhoid, or a one time polio booster if you haven't previously received one for travel. Routine immunizations, such as those that prevent tetanus/diphtheria or "childhood" diseases, should be reviewed and updated as needed.

ZAMBIA:

Depending on your itinerary, your personal risk factors, and the length of your visit, your health care provider may offer you vaccination against cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, meningococcal meningitis, rabies, typhoid, or a one time polio booster if you haven't previously received one for travel. Routine immunizations, such as those that prevent tetanus/diphtheria or "childhood" diseases, should be reviewed and updated as needed

SOUTH AFRICA:

Yellow fever: Although yellow fever does not occur in South Africa, an official yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required depending on your itinerary.

Requirement: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travelers over 1 year of age coming from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Other vaccines: Depending on your itinerary, your personal risk factors, and the length of your visit, your health care provider may offer you vaccination against cholera, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, influenza, rabies, or typhoid. Routine immunizations, such as those that prevent tetanus/diphtheria or "childhood" diseases, should be reviewed and updated as needed.

And how fun does this sound:

African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, is caused by the bite of an infected tsetse fly. The disease is very rare in travelers, especially short-term travelers. Sleeping sickness occurs in African countries that lie south of the Sahara Desert; however, South Africa, Lesotho, and Namibia are considered free of transmission. The chronic (Gambian) form of the disease occurs in wooded areas around rivers, mostly among local populations in rural areas; transmission is higher during the dry season. The acute (Rhodesian) form of the disease, however, occurs in areas of savanna and woodlands in Central and East Africa -- the type of environments that tourists come in contact with through tours or safaris.

But this aint gonna stop me – its just part and parcel of travelling to Africa … The Mother Land