Utila without the Malaria

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Not to be crass, but you don't need Hep B unless you plan to "cohabitate" with the locals.

Hep A, Tetanus and an anti malarial are what was recommended by my Doc, my buddy's Doc and the CDC.

Keep in mind an anti malarial has to be started a few weeks before you leave. And Hep A has to be roughly a month before you leave, and then a booster within 6 to 12 months after. (making it good for 10 years)
 
There are some great travel health websites out there, but nothing's better than talking to a travel health doc who knows your medical history. That being said, I really like www.tripprep.com. It's a rather cautious portrayl of traveling in mostly Honduras (which is a different cultural experience than the Bay Islands it would seem), but since it combines the State Dept's consular sheet on Honduras, CDC info, and other stuff, it seems to be a comprehensive source.

I'm traveling to the Bay Islands in March and as a result, I received the following vaccines at last week's travel health appt: tetanus booster, hep A, and typhoid (oral, take 4 pills in 8 days and you're immune for 5 years - you can also get a shot which confers immunity for 2 years). I also left with a prescription for chloroquine (anti-malarial) and a high dose antibiotic (just in case of severe diarrhea caused by E coli - most likely bugger, etcetera). Chloroquine needs to be taken the week before you leave, while you're on vacation, and then for four weeks after you return. The malaria found in Honduras isn't the mostly deadly kind, but it could still be a heck of an awful experience. But even with chloroquine, it's still a good idea to cover up at night and use bug spray!

While it seems like a lot, if you plan on traveling to developing parts of the world on a fairly regular basis, getting vaccinated is probably a good idea anyway. I went to Beijing on somewhat of a whim last December and the recommendations in terms of shots were the same (I didn't get them that time and, although I was fine, I think I would have been less worried about getting a GI bug had I prepared ahead of time.)
 
Also, in terms of Hep B, it's true that it's spread primarily through unprotected sexual intercourse and also in hospital settings through accidents/inappropriate handling on bloodbourne materials and the like, but you'll nonetheless see it as a vaccination recommendation on the CDC's website. However. my university required Hep B vaccination (requires three shots spaced 6 months apart) in order to matriculate, so I'd already gotten that several years ago.
 
Thanks guys! I got my Chloroquine, and I'm good on the other stuff. I've passed all this great advice on to the dive shop that is organizing the trip and it's a good thing. There are 34 of us and evidently a few of the divers will be children so they're going to pass the word.
Now we can all think "happy" thoughts and just count the days............
Can't thank you all enough!
Susan
 
Diver Lori:
The CDC does not recommend a DEET concentration over 30%. According to their studies, as the DEET concentration increased, the effectiveness decreased in relation. And yes, 100% DEET will melt plastics etc.

Is it the case that 30+% DEET is less effective? Probably not.

There is a law of diminishing returns, however. Heavier concentrations 30-100%, to some extent and under certain conditions, resist sweating-off and abrasion from moist clothing. Military grade DEET is great for dosing clothing.

Anything over 30% is inherently a waste of money for us tourists.

Not using it is even a worse idea.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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