FAQ: Did you have to get vaccinated?
Yeppers. Jabs were the bane of my existence for quite a few weeks and I have enough information from my vaccine research for several future blog posts.
Note: I am not a doctor and I don’t play one on tv. My research was specific to my needs and destinations. You should speak to your doctor regarding your own travel plans.
FAQ: What kind of shots did you get?
Me personally? I got jabs for Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Tetanus, Diptheria and Pertussis (TDAP), Meningoccoal and Hepatitis A. Again, please check with your doctor for your needs. I found out I still had immunity to MMR and Hepatitis B so I did not need to get those.
FAQ: Did you feel okay after the shots?
The only one that made me feel badly for a few days was the TDAP. I was achy, tired and sniffly for a few days. Surprising to me, that was the one I was least worried about — it was the most ‘normal’ jab to get. It was the only one insurance covered.
Also, some vaccines cannot be administered if you are not feeling well. I put off getting my meningococcal jab for a week because the TDAP had had me feeling under the weather.
FAQ: Were the jabs expensive?
They can be. You should definitely compare prices because it can get very pricey.
I called my insurance company only to find out that they don’t pay for travel vaccines. But, they told me I could get jabs priced at cost at my job. Score!
I got several jabs at work, at cost. I got one at the doctor, which insurance covered. And I got one at
Passport Health because it was a few dollars cheaper than at work.
I also found out that you can go to the local health department in your town for free, or very low-cost vaccinations.
Shop around!
FAQ: Didn’t you have shots before you went to college?
Yes. And I even called the school to get those medical records. Unfortunately they only keep records for ten years. I missed the boat on that one. Oops.
So I had my mom dig up my vaccination history. A mother’s dream.
If you can’t get your records, you can get titers (bloodwork) that test for antibodies in your system for shots you have had as a baby or adolescent to see if you are still immune. Check with your insurance carrier because some of those titers are hundreds of dollars, more than the cost of the actual vaccine.
FAQ: How many jabs did you get at a time?
Because I am a big baby, and was overly concerned about side effects and arm pain, I only wanted to get one jab at a time, so the process took me some time to get through.
Again, I am not a doctor, just sharing my experience. Seek specific medical advice that relates to your own travel needs.
More on my vaccination experience to come…
simply three cents 
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