Friday, March 21, 2014

Shots Shots Shots…of Immunization!

     
      

           Hi everyone! This week I went to our required Vaden Travel Clinic to have my consultation, so I thought I’d tell you all a little about what to expect. First, make sure to book your appointment as soon as possible because they fill up quickly! Since I’m going to Madrid next week, it was a bit of a scramble to get one in, but luckily it all worked out.
            Once you get there, the people at the clinic are really nice! My nurse was Suzie and she talked me through a lot of what we had already discussed in class about the various diseases we are susceptible to in the Pantanal. We went over schistosomiasis, malaria, yellow fever – all the usual, and she again warned me to stay away from fresh water and animals. Good thing we’re going to the biggest wetland in the world, with the best chance of seeing wildlife, right?
            Also, just be prepared for some shots! You don’t have to get your immunizations at the clinic, but it’s probably easier just to get them over with. I was the lucky recipient of three shots. Be warned: the yellow fever one makes you a little sore afterwards, so you might want to skip arms at the gym for a little bit (or at least that was my excuse for not working out, haha). You can also buy the really strong insect repellant there, or if you want to wait, Suzie said they also sell them at camping stores.

            All in all, it was a pleasant experience. It was my first travel consultation appointment ever, so it was really cool that she had personalized it for the place we’re travelling to. Let me know if you all have any questions and good luck with finals!

-Sarah

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