"Bobby" wrote in message
...
It was actually about a month ago.

And my PC went down. Complete re-install needed so I lost all of my OE
files.

Thanks for the reply.

That's one long list of injections. Are they all necessary?

Bobby

Ouch, too bad about your PC. It seems to happen a lot.

"Necessary" is a strange word, as there are vaccines that you have no matter
where you live, and there are those that are not even suggested unless you
go somewhere special, like Africa. Probably many of these are not
'necessary', but you don't really know until after the fact, if ever.
However, the list isn't as long as it seems, and most are boilerplate.

Yellow Fever: if you visit most subequatorial african countries, you need to
show proof of YF vaccine when you get back home. As a result, most African
countries look at your YF Vaccine when you arrive, and there are those who
won't even let you in without it. Another poster insisted that Kenya does
not require proof of YF vaccine, but I can tell you that they read MY
vaccination card when I entered about 3 weeks ago. Better to have this
document than to try to explain why you don't actually need it as you are
standing at the immigration desk, and YF is deadly and ugly enough that you
might as well join the 99.9999% of folks here who have the vaccination.

MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella): in the US, everyone gets this in childhood,
along with Polio and Whooping Cough. You might already have it or not, but
if not, its one of those 'childhood innoculations' that has resulted in
longer lifespans of most of the first world. As an adult, mumps can kill
you, so if you haven't had this, your physician will almost definately just
give it to you.

Typhoid: again, the chances of getting typhus are pretty slim as its almost
been eradicated....due to the strong vaccination programs worldwide. But if
you DO get it (not likely), you'll die. Its another 'childhood vaccine' that
is worth having.

Tetanus: Get it. This is one that you should keep updated every 9-10 years,
no matter where you live, and getting a cut on your foot or finger is not
worth getting tetanus over. This is in the same category as washing your
hands before dinner. Just do it.

Hepatitus A and B: these are the only ones that are merely recommended, and
not required. If you are staying in nice lodges, eating clean food and doing
the 'tourist thing', then your chances of getting Hep are pretty much nil.
If you are spending any time in-country, then its greatly recommended to
have these onboard, as you can get very sick for life if you catch them.

So, here is the summary:
MMR, Tetanus, Typhoid: standard vaccinations that most first-world people
have from childhood, and are worth having if you did not get. Add Polio to
this list.

Yellow Fever: the only one that they actually ever ask for in Africa, and
for a good reason. Look on this one as your Yellow Badge of Passage ("Hey,
cool! You had to get a special shot to go to Africa!")

Hepatitus A and B: optional, unless you spend time around open garbage pits.
Like most of subsahara Africans do.

--riverman