What Vaccinations, Immunizations and Medications Do I Take?
Vaccinations for Tanzania and Zanzibar
The only one vaccination for entering Tanzania is the immunization against yellow fever. The certificate of vaccination is required only while visiting Zanzibar or endemic transit countries (Kenya, Ruanda and etc.).
The immunization against yellow fever is just a recommended measure rather than a mandatory one (the same applies to vaccinations against tetanus, cholera, hepatitis and typhoid fever).
If you have a little time before the departure, then do not experiment with the resistance of your immunity before taking your flight. The vaccination against yellow fever is held no earlier than 10 days before the departure and it is contraindicated for pregnant, people suffering from allergy to antibiotics and egg white.
Vaccines against Malaria?
Malaria is always a serious disease and may be a deadly illness. Humans get malaria from the bite of a mosquito infected with the parasite. Your risk of malaria may be high in all countries in East Africa, including cities. All travelers to East Africa, including infants, children, and former residents of East Africa, may be at risk for malaria. Prevent this serious disease by seeing your health care provider for a prescription antimalarial drug and by protecting yourself against mosquito bites. Therefore, if you want to protect yourself 100%, you should follow the recommendations:
- Medicines for the malaria prevention: atoyaquone/proguanial, Malarone, Doxycycline, Lariam (Mefloquine) .
- During safari it is better to stay at hotels / lodges because their rooms are equipped with insecticide-treated mosquito nets (refuse to stay in simple tents);
- Carry a malaria rapid diagnostic test with you
- If you have high temperature, chills, vomiting and other symptoms of illness, do the malaria test and in case of a positive result, treat to the nearest hospital.
Food and Waterborne Diseases
Make sure your food and drinking water are safe. Food and waterborne diseases are the primary cause of illness in travelers. Travelers’ diarrhea can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites, which are found throughout East Africa and can contaminate food or water. Infections may cause diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella, cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis), or liver damage (hepatitis).
In order to be safe and healthy
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or, if hands are not visibly soiled, use a waterless, alcohol-based hand rub to remove potentially infectious materials from your skin and help prevent disease transmission.
- In developing countries, drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, learn how to make water safer to drink.
- To prevent fungal and parasitic infections, keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, even on beaches.
- Always use latex condoms to reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
- Protect yourself from mosquito insect bites:
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats when outdoors.
- If no screening or air conditioning is available: use a pyrethroid-containing spray in living and sleeping areas during evening and night-time hours; sleep under bed nets, preferably insecticide-treated ones.
Things to Avoid
- Do not eat food purchased from street vendors or food that is not well cooked to reduce risk of infection (i.e., hepatitis A and typhoid fever).
- Do not drink beverages with ice.
- Avoid dairy products, unless you know they have been pasteurized.
- Do not swim in fresh water to avoid exposure to certain water-borne diseases such as schistosomiasis.
- Do not handle animals, especially monkeys, dogs, and cats, to avoid bites and serious diseases (including rabies and plague). Consider pre-exposure rabies vaccination if you might have extensive unprotected outdoor exposure in rural areas.
- Do not share needles for tattoos, body piercing or injections to prevent infections such as HIV and hepatitis B.
- Avoid poultry farms, bird markets, and other places where live poultry is raised or kept.
