Vaccinations required for Panama Canal partial transit.

[ClaireHHD]

Hi Everyone, we are booked to go on Caribbean cruise with stops at Cartagena, and then a partial transit of the Panama canal (with excursion to the Pacific end of the canal) and then onto Costa Rica.

Am I right that it is still the case that the yellow fever jab isn’t compulsory unless we have transited or come from specific countries? We are both over 60 and know that there are possible risks in having the jab.

how about other vaccinations such as typhoid or tetanus?

like others I have found the websites I have looked at give confusing advice and I suspect my GP will just go with whatever the NHS fit to Travel site says which is fine but it would be useful to have some real life experiences from fellow UK travellers. Thanks to Cruiser Bruce for his answer, but as another user also said other countries may have different rules so am interested in other cruiser’s experiences

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, ClaireHHD said:

I suspect my GP will just go with whatever the NHS fit to Travel site says which is fine but it would be useful to have some real life experiences from fellow UK travellers. Thanks to Cruiser Bruce for his answer, but as another user also said other countries may have different rules so am interested in other cruiser’s experiences

 

The issue (or rule) as to what vaccinations, if any, are required in order to travel to country X is not determined by the country in which the traveler lives, but by country X.    Some travelers reside in countries that publish helpful info for their residents traveling to other countries as to what the requirements are to visit those other countries.  Here in the U.S., the CDC does that, and it sounds like the NHS does the same in the U.K.   I'm not sure why what your doctor (or a travel clinic) says is not sufficient.  Also, there are recommended vaccines for travel to certain areas, and, again, your doctor or travel clinic is the best source for that info.

 

Speaking of recommended vaccines, you asked about tetanus.  I'm not a doctor, and you should certainly ask your GP, but it's always been my understanding that one ought to be up to date on that regardless of travel.  You can injure yourself at home, too.  (Hope you don't.) 

 

FWIW, I've done four full transits of the Canal.  Two of those were preceded by port calls to Cartagena (although neither of those transits involved an off-the-ship excursion in Panama). We were on land in Panama in between transits a year ago.  I have never been vaccinated against Yellow Fever (and my age would counsel against it).  I have gotten recommended typhoid vaccinations for those trips, as well as Hep A (which is prevalent around the world and imho is a good idea regardless of travel).  YMMV as to recommended jabs and, again, your doctor is the one to consult here.

 

Have an enjoyable and healthy trip!

 

  

[CruiserBruce]

No vaccinations are required for a full or partial transit of the Panama Canal.

[Essiesmom]

There are vaccines recommended , but none are required.  EM