Jabs - inoculations.....

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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rodders21
Posts: 8
Joined: 31 Mar 2012, 3:54pm

Jabs - inoculations.....

Post by rodders21 »

Argentina-Chile-Peru....touring soon and interested in what others are doing ,
also what cost are folk finding ?
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BeeKeeper
Posts: 1265
Joined: 29 Apr 2011, 6:45am
Location: South Devon

Re: Jabs - inoculations.....

Post by BeeKeeper »

Assuming you are in the UK speak to your local GP surgery / Health Centre and see what they recommend. They can look up each country and see what you need to be immunised against and what you need to take. Malaria, for example, is a big threat in some parts of Peru and there are some nasty strains about which do not respond to some of the old pills.

You can also get advice here: http://www.nathnac.org/travel/index.htm

I can't advise on shopping around to reduce the cost. I would just pay up at the local health centre.
simonhill
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Joined: 13 Jan 2007, 11:28am
Location: Essex

Re: Jabs - inoculations.....

Post by simonhill »

My advice is to do plenty of research and go to different sources, preferanbly before you go to your GP. In my experience GPs often do not have much experience of more adventurous travellers eg cyclists. For example I wanted a Typhoid booster, but couldn't see the nurse directly, instead had to fill in a form. They saw I was going to Vietnam and said not needed for tourists to Vietnam. I had to point out that I wasn't going to tourist areas but would be in rural areas for 2 months. The form I filled in and subsequent processing of it could not cope with this deviation from their perceived norm of tourist activity.

I often find backpacker type guidebooks eg Lonely Planet are a good place to start. They detail all the shots you may need then discuss whether appropriate re lenghth of stay, areas to visit, etc. You can then weigh up the info.

Websites like the one detailed in above post are also useful for more detailed info on each disease, risks, side effects, etc.

You will also need to consider where you are planning on going and the geography, eg if only staying in the Mts in Peru then malaria probably not a problem. If going to Amazon Basin, it is.

If life was easy it wouldn't be worth living!
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SatNavSaysStraightOn
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Re: Jabs - inoculations.....

Post by SatNavSaysStraightOn »

rodders21 wrote:Argentina-Chile-Peru....touring soon and interested in what others are doing ,
also what cost are folk finding ?


We found it quite expensive to get all the jabs we needed (for 2 of us).
NomadTravel are very useful and well used to people not being tourists in an area. Pices are here http://www.nomadtravel.co.uk/t-ClinicPrices.aspx

We were originally planning of South America so it was taken into account on our jabs.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page ... 63656&v=Lx is a link to my journal and a bit on jabs...

The one I was most greatful for was having had the preventative Rabies shots. Both my husband and I were bitten - myself badly (think +100 stitches) in an area we did not know had a known rabies outbreak with human deaths.

With Peru especially, you need to think about rabies being transmitted via bats as well as dogs and as cyclist we are a high risk group.
Mattie
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Joined: 23 Feb 2009, 9:19pm

Re: Jabs - inoculations.....

Post by Mattie »

Heck :shock: - that is some bite ! it looks more like you have been bitten by a shark than a dog !

I hope you are getting better and able to cycle again. Really that is a big deal !

Good luck.
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SatNavSaysStraightOn
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Re: Jabs - inoculations.....

Post by SatNavSaysStraightOn »

Mattie wrote:Heck :shock: - that is some bite ! it looks more like you have been bitten by a shark than a dog !

I hope you are getting better and able to cycle again. Really that is a big deal !

Good luck.


Thank you for your thoughts - it has ended the world tour somewhat permaturely, but we have no regrets. We loved the 12 months on the road that we had and are planning a 2nd attempt a couple of years down the road.

I'm glad I am not the only one who thinks it looks more like a a shark bite! Should be great to 'show off' next summer. I have ruled out getting a snarling dog tattoo in the middle of it though but a shark could be an interesting consideration... :lol:

I am recovering, albeit slowly. I can ride about 11 miles at a time now, but then have to wait 2 or 3 days before I can cycle again. Its longer time wise than I can walk, a circuit of the supermarket is murder and not just on my leg! Rehab is going to be slow, but we are hoping to take a smaller (2 week) tour over Christmas and New year (to avoid family and, wedding anniversary and 2 birthdays, plus my big 40) but suspect that distances will be low and doubt I will be allowed by my OH to carry much kit at all... still I am slowly getting back out and have now managed 176 miles of my 500 mile target for the end of the year - all done on my expedition touring bike with weighs a ton (22kg actually), so guessing the extra weight helps!

One major weight off our minds though is the Rabies side of life - having had the 3 preventative injections first really does put your mind at more ease.
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