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Home » Travel Health & Insurance

Shot Through the Arm, Yellow Fever to Blame

Modified: Sep 28, 2021 · Published: Aug 30, 2007 by Dave Lee |

I made a third lunchtime trip to my local travel clinic in as many months on Wednesday.

I've got their whole routine down and found myself feeling more and more impatient with each visit.

I want them to give me the "shot of the day" so I can get the heck back to work.

The $98 Yellow Fever shot felt like all the rest. Unfortunately, my health insurance won't cover this one, as it's probably considered a "travel immunization," which is excluded.

At least I've got 100% coverage on all the others I'm getting as part of my preventive benefits.

I'm down to needing a third Hepatitis B shot (late October), and if I'm feeling frisky, the Meningococcal vaccine.

While the maps indicate the disease is only a serious threat in the middle of Africa, I was advised that sleeping in dorm-style rooms might be a sufficient risk to make it a worthwhile jab.

I have little interest in spinal meningitis, so I'll probably get it on my fourth and final visit to the clinic.

I also picked up a two-week prescription for Doxycycline, an antibiotic used to prevent Malaria.

I wanted to test it out while still in the USA to ensure I don't have any adverse reactions.

Next week, I'll share more about why I chose this drug over the three others (Chloroquine, Malarone, and Lariam).

___________________

Additional Resources: SmarTravel Profiles on 220 countries. USA Center for Disease Control - Traveler's Health section. Immunization Action Coalition - Vaccination Information for Healthcare Professionals.

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About Dave Lee

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 68 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.

Comments

  1. Rob Meyer says

    August 30, 2007 at 12:54 pm

    Haha, there's a lot of nasty stuff out there to catch, isn't there! And malaria meds... Sweet, sweet, dreams!

    Doxycicline isn't supposed to be too bad though, so that's good.

    • Dave says

      August 30, 2007 at 5:40 pm

      Correct - doxycicline seemed to be the least toxic of the drugs, least expensive, and most widely available. I sunburn easily though, so I'll have to be careful about the increased sensitivity.

  2. Rob Meyer says

    August 30, 2007 at 5:54 pm

    Haha, there's a lot of nasty stuff out there to catch, isn't there! And malaria meds... Sweet, sweet, dreams!

    Doxycicline isn't supposed to be too bad though, so that's good.

    • Dave says

      August 30, 2007 at 10:40 pm

      Correct - doxycicline seemed to be the least toxic of the drugs, least expensive, and most widely available. I sunburn easily though, so I'll have to be careful about the increased sensitivity.

Dave at Ahu Ko Te Riku on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile.

Hi, I'm Dave

Editor in Chief

I've been writing about adventure travel on Go Backpacking since 2007. I've visited 68 countries.

Read more about Dave.

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