We are traveling on short notice to Central Africa because my husband’s mother died. 
We will be there for more than 2 weeks. Someone made the wild assertion that because it’s so late we shouldn’t get vaccinations at all because they will just “weaken our immune system” and won’t do any good in time. I’m sure it depends on the shot whether we get shot up with live anything, but I’m pretty sure we will get malaria/yellow fever shot, maybe Hep A and B, and some other stuff. The “it’s too late so you shouldn’t get it” advice sounds like crap to me, especially since we’ll be there for several weeks. (Also I can’t imagine not getting shots and they will make me feel better, thus the placebo effect should then help me not to get sick!) Any medical types have an answer? I am not asking for medical advice and I am going to go to a shot clinic regardless but I wanted to get the straight dope if there is any to be had…thanks! – Edited to add that we leave this Friday – four days from now.
The CDC says:
Depending on where in central Africa you’re going, though, you may have a problem. Some countries require proof of immunity to yellow fever to enter, for all travelers (not just those from at-risk areas), and immunity is considered to begin ten days after vaccination. The CDC has a list of said regulations.
Some vaccines like hep a/b are administered in multiple courses so you only get partial immunity for each one.
Vaccines like Yellow Fever take 10 days to get immunity. I got like 10 different shots when I went to Kenya and Tanzania and there was no concern getting them at the same time.
Either way I would absolutely not listen to hearsay and go to a travel medicine clinic and have them tell you.
Well, yes, you’re asking for medical advice, so this is best suited to IMHO.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
The only mandatory shot will be yellow fever, many countries will not let you in without proof of immunization. If they do let you in, the USA might not let you back in when you return without quarantining you.
Cholera shots are only marginally effective, so no point getting one. For your own safety, the most important ones to get are a polio booster and tetanus shot, and arrange to take malaria pills.
I believe you must have the yellow fever shot to get back in the United States.
Sorry your trip is due to a death in the family.
You must get on antimalarials today, and you will still not be fully protected when you get there (I believe you need to start a week before). Be very very aware of malaria. The malaria in the area is not like what you find in southern Africa or Asia or whatever. Central African malaria can kill you within 48 hours. Your first symptom may be a coma. And if you stick around long enough, you WILL get it eventually. Please do not listen to local people on this- it’s different if you have periodic exposure, but you face very serious risks.
Get to a travel doctor who knows tropical medicine. Learn the signs of malaria by heart, know what to do if you have them, and get both prophylactics and a course of something that cures it (Coartem or in some cases Malerone). Learn how to administer the cure, and keep it with you at all times- even if you are just going out for a day trip.
Make sure to continue your antimalarials for the appropriate amount of time after you get back. Stopping early kills people all the time. Remember that doctors here will not be familiar with malaria. You’ll need to be vigilant if you see any symptoms after you get back.
Don’t be too freaked out by this-- the medicines are quite good and it’s not deadly if you take them. But you must take them.
The rest should be fine if you start now. When I did Peace Corps, we started vaccinations three days before departure and finished our courses in-country.
YES! On one of my trips to India I got my shots only four days ahead of time. I caught malaria…but I DIDN’T catch yellow fever or cholera or any of the other myriad diseases.
Malaria needs to be administered early. I absolutely must second that the doctors here have no idea what it is. If you come back and think you have it, look for an Indian doctor - he’ll probably diagnose it right quick and give you some quinine.
People are freakin crazy! Don’t get the shots? WOW!