# When and what vaccines do I need to go to East Africa? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 13, 2019, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-what-vaccines-do-i-need-to-go-to-east-africa/831039 "2019-03-13T01:57:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-what-vaccines-do-i-need-to-go-to-east-africa/831039/21 "2019-03-13T17:47:07Z")
Mods - I put this in GQ because I thought it was more about fact rather than opinion, but, since it’s here now, feel free to merge it with my other Africa thread. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-what-vaccines-do-i-need-to-go-to-east-africa/831039/22 "2019-03-13T18:27:54Z")
Travel clinics, huh? Ignorance fought. I never knew about them, but I’ve never traveled anywhere more exotic than France and Germany. Good to know, though. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-what-vaccines-do-i-need-to-go-to-east-africa/831039/23 "2019-03-13T18:39:42Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > I will speak to my doctor for sure > > Ah, I didn’t know about those. There is one right in my city which I will pop in to talk to someone and make appointments. Unfortunately, according to their website, not all vaccines are covered by MSP. Travel clinics are rarely covered on regular health insurance. Start with your insurance company- mine covered vaccinations if I got them at Walgreens, but not anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-what-vaccines-do-i-need-to-go-to-east-africa/831039/24 "2019-03-14T16:47:51Z")
> [@Miss\_Mapp](#): > > At the travel clinic I went to, they gave me a couple of packets of a powder–sorry, I don’t remember the medication name. > > When you begin to feel the beginning of digestive rumbles, you mix the powder with (bottled) water and drink it. It worked very well. I didn’t have problems during my trip, even though most of the places I went in Egypt were places where you couldn’t drink the tap water, even to brush your teeth, and fresh fruit and veg possibly washed in the water were risky. Safari tour companies provide food from safe locations like South Africa. We went on safaris with two different companies and never had gastric issues. It’s still a good idea to take Immodium tablets with you. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-what-vaccines-do-i-need-to-go-to-east-africa/831039/25 "2019-03-14T19:06:28Z")
I also had no gastric issues in East Africa (Uganda). But, yeah, always carry the Immodium just in case. Only drink bottled water. Only eat peeled or cooked fruit and vegetables. And, on the subject of food: lots of food in East Africa is bad. Not, like, make-you-sick bad, but poorly prepared and spiced and kinda flavorless. Blame the British. Not all of it, obviously, but lots. The main exception is Ethiopian food, which is _amazing_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-what-vaccines-do-i-need-to-go-to-east-africa/831039.md?page=1)