One of the little details that’s important when travelling to Africa is the shots. Unfortunately, the kind that come with needles. And you need a lot of them. My first round of vaccinations included yellow fever, typhoid, and cholera. I got the cholera vaccine at the Boots pharmacy here in London. It requires two doses, both of which you mix yourself! I made a little video of myself mixing the second dose.
I visited my local GP last week for the two other vaccines. Yellow fever into one arm and Typhoid into the other.
Yellow fever is a recommended vaccine for many of the regions I’ll be travelling through, but it’s only required for entry into Zambia. In order to prove they’ve been vaccinated, travellers are required to carry an “International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis” – which is usually referred to by the French “Carte Jaune” or the English equivalent “Yellow Card.” Shown below is a photo of my British version; the US one looks a little different.
Since the nurse was unable to re-use either arm on my first visit, I had to come back for more today. I received Hepatitis A and B boosters into either arm, and a Tetanus, Diptheria, Polio booster into the left arm. The nurse proved particularly insightful when she gave me a fistful of sterile needles and syringes. If I do need to receive any injections while I’m travelling, it will be wise to use my own needles, which are guaranteed to be clean.
At the pharmacy, I filled my prescription for doxycycline (to prevent malaria) and bought a larger first aid kit. I’m all set to travel.
