Travel Vaccinations

[plumber1]

I am travelling by cruise ship from Los Angeles to Miami including a complete transit of the Panama Canal. I am receiving conflicting advice over the necessity/desirability of Yellow Fever vaccinations for this trip. Has anyone done this trip and can give me a definitive answer. Any advice would be most gratefully received.

[Sqad]

I have done the trip a couple of times and i have never had vaccinations for yellow fever.
The vaccine IS recommended, but I have never availed myself .
Your decision.

[jno]

will you be staying on board or going on jungle visits? Slightly more likely to attract the wrong sort of mosquito on the latter, I suspect. Having said that, I didn't have the vaccination, just covered up against insects.

[Sqad]

I have given it further thought........it might be desirable but it is not necessary (if that makes sense)
Me? I wouldn't have it.

[Buenchico]

This map is sourced from the organisation which is funded by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to provide information to travellers and health professionals:
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/admin/web/uploads/YF-map-Panama.png
(i.e. it's as 'official' as it's possible to get)

You'll see that the canal forms the boundary between the 'vaccination' and 'no vaccination' areas (which might explain the conflicting information you've received). However reading the text which goes with the map provides this:
"Vaccination is NOT recommended for travellers whose itineraries are limited to areas west of the Canal, the city of Panama, the Canal area itself, and the Balboa Islands (Pearl Islands) and San Blas Islands"

See here for the whole lot:
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/country/174/panama#Vaccine_recommendations

[sddsddean]

Done the trip twice and never had a yellow fever jab, or heard of anyone else on the cruise who has. Just make sure you are up to date with Tetanus and Hepatitis B jabs. I think those are free at the surgery (but I could be wrong!!).