It is recommended by some of the guide books to Costa Rica that you get a Hepatitis A vaccine before going. As I would like to minimize my risk for any unpleasant sicknesses while vacationing, I signed Catherine and I up for a dose and we went last Friday to be vaccinated. We decided to only get the Hep A, and not the mixed cocktail of A and B because B is typically only a risk if you're going to engage in sexual activity or share needles with people. Cath and I don't do any intravenous drugs and, while we weren't ruling out sexual activity, we were pretty sure it wasn't going to involve 'the natives.'

According to my doctor, as well as a wealth of online material, the Hepatitis A vaccine is typically given in two doses. The first one begins protecting you a month after it is administered. It is recommended you get a second dose about 6 months after your first dose for long-term protection, so we went ahead and scheduled a follow-up. Some material I've read says this second dose will protect you for 15-20 years, while my doctor told me it'll probably offer 'lifetime protection.' We plan to visit several developing countries in our lifetime, so I guess it's a good thing to have.

While they were down-played by our doctor, the side effects of the vaccine are real. Both Catherine and I had recurring headaches during the day, for which I had to take multiple aspirins. Also, my arm felt like somebody punched me, and I felt very space-y and downright 'weird' all day. I can't really describe it as nausea because I never felt sick to my stomach, but I did feel 'feverish' and light headed. I was glad it was Friday because things are usually slower and require less thought. When I got home, I took a nap, had a big dinner and, after a full night's sleep, all was better by the next morning. If you're considering getting the Hep A vaccine, don't let the side-effects keep you from it. They're annoying, but they only last a day.

There are a few other sicknesses you have to watch out for while in Costa Rica, including dengue fever and cholera. Dengue fever sounds particularly unpleasant, and includes a sudden onset of high fever, headache, joint and muscle pains, nausea and vomiting. It is spread via mosquitos.

Mosquitos have always loved me. I think it's my Italian blood. We'll be there in dry season, and on the drier side of the country, so I'm not overly concerned about mosquitos, still, here's what Lonely Planet tells me to do to prevent mosquito bites:

The main messages are: wear light-coloured clothing; wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts; use mosquito repellents containing the compound DEET on exposed areas (prolonged overuse of DEET may be harmful, especially to children, but its use is considered preferable to being bitten by disease-transmitting mosquitoes); avoid perfumes and aftershave; use a mosquito net impregnated with mosquito repellent (permethrin) -- it may be worth taking your own, and impregnating clothes with permethrin effectively deters mosquitoes and other insects).

Okay . . . enough of my hypochondriac neuroses . . . time to start planning the fun!

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