Travel Clinic Fever

I recently decided to go traveling alone for my first time; Costa Rica being my destination. Naturally, I wanted to keep myself as safe and healthy as possible, as no one wants to get sick while they are away from home. I asked my mom if there was anything I could do before I left. Being a nurse I thought she would have the best answer, but she told me to go to a travel clinic for vaccinations.

I took her advice and made a phone call to book the appointment. Before getting off the phone the receptionist sweetly reminded me, “Don’t forget your vaccination booklet. Oh, you lost yours? Not to worry, they are only $30 to replace.” I should have been tipped off then, that this was not about keeping me healthy, but about taking my hard-earned cash.

Before arriving at the clinic I decided to ask my friend who had been there if he too had received any pills or injections, before going to the big CR. I also questioned my friends who had been living there for the past nine months. They both, of course, said there was no need for any worry. I kept that in mind as I walked in for my consultation. (Which cost $45 and is the discounted price because I had been there once before).

I arrived at my appointment where a woman pushing 175lbs called me into a small office. I giggled inside, wondering if this lady had ever stepped foot in another country, and also was curious if she had any medical knowledge of the vaccines she was endorsing.

Three pieces of yellow and white paper were laid down in front of me on the wooden desk. I was basically staring at every human delight, and at the top of each list it said, “To avoid risk of…do not do.” It was quite amusing.

Don’t eat local fruit or vegetables; do not drink the water unless sterilized with iodine drops. Don’t brush your teeth with tap water unless decontaminated. Make sure not to eat any meat, and do not (in capital letters) eat the seafood! Little did I know then that the seafood in Costa Rica is to die for. The list went from, stay away from animals because you could get rabies, to don’t walk around without shoes on. And we hadn’t even talked about any medications or shots!

Before I could open my mouth to laugh she grabbed her pen with her cubby, fake nailed, fingers ready to circle all the vaccines on another piece of paper that I would be needing. “Where are you going in Costa Rica?” she asked me. I informed her I wasn’t entirely sure and she raised her brow. Really? I thought, you’re expecting a young woman of 20 years old, traveling for her first time to know where she’s going? I was going to let my soul roam where the warm wind takes me, thank you very much. I told her I had an inkling I was going to as far north as Nicaragua, and as far south as Panama City. Her eyes widened with shock that I wasn’t fully planned out, and excitement because now she could connive me into spending all my money.

For a kick off, I needed a Typhoid Fever (also known as enteric fever) injection or pills. Typhoid is an illness caused by Salmonella bacteria and is transmitted by the ingestion of water or food contaminated with feces from an infected person. Common sense alone can divert you away from contracting this, but I will talk more about common sense later. Even on Wikipedia it states “Sanitation and hygiene are the critical measures that can be taken to prevent typhoid. Typhoid does not affect animals and therefore transmission is only from human to human. Typhoid can only spread in environments where human feces or urine are able to come into contact with food or drinking water. Careful food preparation and washing of hands are therefore crucial to preventing typhoid.” I am unsure as to where anyone got the idea that you cannot get food that is uncontaminated. But I’ve digressed a little.

She then pounced on Malaria. Yes, I do understand if I was going to Africa, or sleeping in jungles far away from civilization, I might need malaria pills.  She also suggested pills for traveler’s diarrhea (and yes I have the weakest stomach known to man), as well as a Yellow Fever injection; if I went into the deep south of Panama. After adding these all up I would be spending about $200 of my hard earned traveling money, for these pills. I regret to inform you that I did buy the pills for diarrhea and malaria for the just-in-case factor. It was my first time bound for a cabina and not a 4 star hotel. I am a little upset I spent that money, and if I came back to Costa Rica I would not do it again. Also please consider I am talking about vaccinations for Costa Rica, San Jose, Guanacaste etc, not the whole world.

Now for common sense. Anyone who is traveling should know that if there is a growling animal foaming at the mouth and hissing at you, you shouldn’t pet it – even for a Kodak moment. The same rule applies if you are thirsty and only have cloudy water from a puddle to drink from. Common sense is to wash your hands before you eat. And don’t you wash your produce before cooking at home? Why would you change that rule here? If you are running barefoot through the jungle and you step on a poisonous frog, you deserve to get sick. I am not telling anyone to rebel against vaccinations and travel clinics; (although there is much debate as to who they really benefit), but I am telling everyone to stop being so afraid of the world around us. If you are living in fear, then congrats Travel Clinic, you have them right where you want em’.

There are people living their whole lives in these countries, so why should we think that as soon as we step foot in it,  nature is out to get us? When you travel I am hoping you evaluate your personal adventure. Do more research than I did, and don’t hand your money to visibly unhealthy person who has never stepped foot into the Costa Rican sunshine. (She is most likely getting paid pretty well for pushing these vaccinations).

Also a note to the Travel Clinic employees: (And my apologies to those who do their job with morality). I appreciate you trying to save all the vulnerable travelers from contracting disease and illness, but maybe next time you could refrain from recommending the whole list of vaccines and hope we will buy them. Each traveler and their family has saved up a lot of money to be able to experience other cultures around the world and you are only taking away from it by being a money grubbing employee under the hand of “the man”. Do your job properly, protect people from real harm; because by telling me I needed two injections and two bottles of pills, I would have rather caught malaria than put all that in my body for no reason.