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These notes are out of date; the outbreak is largely under control but as other posters say, still take precautions.
Please see my post Staying Healthy During your Stay, which includes latest from Ministry of Public Health on cholera in Havana. http://insightcuba.com/blog/2013/01/21/live-from-cuba-staying-healthy-during-your-stay-by-conner-gorry
NettieNZ: this isnt only limited to cholera, but other acute intestinal infections. Projectile vomitting, explosive diarhhea, fever - an awful way to spend whatever limited time you have here. Tablets, boiled water, the hydro chloride drops sold at pharmacies (in MN) - whatever strategy you choose, I urge you to use it.
In some places there is also a prevalence of people selling refilled water bottles - I hope this isn't the case in Cuba, but they aren't normally difficult to spot by looking at the bottle top.
I'm not a medical professional and personally I'm not opting to take it (after getting medical advice) but the cholera vaccine Dukoral is worth considering. I understand it is also used ( but 'off label') as a preventative for traveler's diarrhea. Unfortunately the effectiveness of this vaccine is quite short lived. However as said I'm not a medical professional and people should seek their own professional medical opinion on this.
No soy Gringa :-)
Dukoral is not licensed in some countries, including the US.
"Gringo"has been discussed several times in Speaking in Tongues. Unfortunately, only one thread is currently available. Posters on that thread and, as I recall, in other threads, say that it is not pejorative in much of Mexico or South America.
My bloke tells me that for him, anybody who isn't Cuban is yuma. Not derogatory, just factual. But of course once there is a label, it can be used in whatever context and with whatever connotation necessary.
Language is such a fabulous tool.
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5
The only thing I'm taking extra on my travels (more than Cuba) this time is some water purification tablets. I doubt I'll need to use them, so they will be left behind for a Cubano who I'm sure will find a use for them somewhere.6
These notes are out of date; the outbreak is largely under control but as other posters say, still take precautions.
Please see my post Staying Healthy During your Stay, which includes latest from Ministry of Public Health on cholera in Havana. http://insightcuba.com/blog/2013/01/21/live-from-cuba-staying-healthy-during-your-stay-by-conner-gorry
NettieNZ: this isnt only limited to cholera, but other acute intestinal infections. Projectile vomitting, explosive diarhhea, fever - an awful way to spend whatever limited time you have here. Tablets, boiled water, the hydro chloride drops sold at pharmacies (in MN) - whatever strategy you choose, I urge you to use it.
8
Conner, don't worry - this won't be my only line of defense - I'm a well seasoned traveller. Early on in my travelling times a trip to Egypt taught me a valuable lesson. Diarrhea lead to a bad combination of heat exhaustion and dehydration. Not cholera, but far from a pleasant experience. Hand sanitiser, electrolyte powder, an antibiotic that targets gasto infections are all things I always travel with now. Water purification tablets will just be an addition to this kit. However I far prefer the taste of pure water, so unless I have difficulty buying bottled water, I won't be using the tablets.In some places there is also a prevalence of people selling refilled water bottles - I hope this isn't the case in Cuba, but they aren't normally difficult to spot by looking at the bottle top.
I'm not a medical professional and personally I'm not opting to take it (after getting medical advice) but the cholera vaccine Dukoral is worth considering. I understand it is also used ( but 'off label') as a preventative for traveler's diarrhea. Unfortunately the effectiveness of this vaccine is quite short lived. However as said I'm not a medical professional and people should seek their own professional medical opinion on this.
No soy Gringa :-)
10
Dukoral protects against traveler's diarrhea caused by a certain strain of E. coli. It does not protect against TD caused by most other bacteria, viruses, giardia or amebas. Immunization against cholera is not usually recommended except for people at high risk--working in disaster relief or in refugee camps, for instance. Protection against TD is short-lived, about 3 months. Protection against cholera is about 2 years.Dukoral is not licensed in some countries, including the US.
"Gringo"has been discussed several times in Speaking in Tongues. Unfortunately, only one thread is currently available. Posters on that thread and, as I recall, in other threads, say that it is not pejorative in much of Mexico or South America.
11
Odd that in 12 months in México and Cuba I was never mistaken for a citizen of the United States - possibly because of my particular accent in Spanish, which I believe is immediately recognisable as non-north American.My bloke tells me that for him, anybody who isn't Cuban is yuma. Not derogatory, just factual. But of course once there is a label, it can be used in whatever context and with whatever connotation necessary.
Language is such a fabulous tool.
