Chicken Pox or Rubella (German Measles) in the DR

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Fiesta Mama

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I cannot find any recent posts on the above topics. Can anyone tell me if Chicken Pox or Rubella (German Measles) are common among the Dominican population? Are there any precautionary measures taken to protect the public against the above - i.e. vacinations? I suppose those in a less than fortunate financial situation (i.e. the lower middle class and the poor), could not afford to be vacinated even if it were offered. Any information on the above would be appreciated.

Whoops... I just realized this forum is under Travel-General... I don't know where else to post it but if someone needs to move it to somewhere more appropriate, please do so. Thanks.
 
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juanita

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Yes there is vaccination! And there are public clinics where the poor can get vaccinated for free. I even remember a couple of years ago; they were going door to door to offer free vaccination.
 
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lperez

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No money no Vaccination

No, if you don't have the money for the Vaccination then you don't get it. My sister in-law just came home and her son ended up with the Chicken Pox. She didn't know my niece in the DR had it. When she came back to Boston she had to take him to the Emergency room and now they want to take some test since he was vaccinated. Maybe it's a different strain in DR. Who knows just be careful.
 
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Dolores1

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I was in the understanding that it is not undesirable for small children to get chicken pox, and German measles, especially if female. The way things are in this country, when children are in pre-school they are exposed to rounds of chicken pox (varicela) and get it over with. German measles is much less common. And then there is measles (sarampion), but I think everyone gets that vaccine and it is much less common. Trying to recall... I think one of my sons I vaccinated for chicken pox, not the other. The one who was vaccinated got the worse case of the two.

As said above, the public health system offers the vaccines for free.

Most are included in private health plans. So, a large part of the population has really no excuse to not vaccinate the children.

I think the chicken pox vaccine is voluntary, but think children get vaccinated for mumps, measles and rubeola.
 
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Fiesta Mama

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Thank you all for your helpful replies. I don't doubt that those who can afford it or have insurance do get vaccinated but I was thinking of the masses that either don't have the money or the means to get to a medical facility to have one. From your answers, I think it is clear that the poor most likely never get vaccinated for either of the above. Thanks again.
 
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Pib

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Dolores said:
I was in the understanding that it is not undesirable for small children to get chicken pox, and German measles, especially if female. The way things are in this country, when children are in pre-school they are exposed to rounds of chicken pox (varicela) and get it over with. German measles is much less common. And then there is measles (sarampion), but I think everyone gets that vaccine and it is much less common. Trying to recall... I think one of my sons I vaccinated for chicken pox, not the other. The one who was vaccinated got the worse case of the two.

As said above, the public health system offers the vaccines for free.

Most are included in private health plans. So, a large part of the population has really no excuse to not vaccinate the children.
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As fate has it I recently read an interesting discussion on this subject on another forum (complete with professional opinions on the matter). Chicken Pox vaccination is not customary anywhere, it is actually frowned upon by health authorities in Europe, who think of it as unnecessary and costly. It only protects you for 10 years, and as we all know the older you are when you get Chicken Pox the more dangerous it is. The rationale behind this is that the kids should get it early in life and get over it.

The vaccine should be left for kids with compromised immune systems and older people. German Measles is even milder than Chicken Pox, the vaccine is only recommended for women planning to conceive.

IAND in case you didn?t know it.
 
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Dolores1

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Fiesta Mama said:
Thank you all for your helpful replies. I don't doubt that those who can afford it or have insurance do get vaccinated but I was thinking of the masses that either don't have the money or the means to get to a medical facility to have one. From your answers, I think it is clear that the poor most likely never get vaccinated for either of the above. Thanks again.
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This is not true. The children of the poor only don't get the vaccines (with the exception of chicken pox and rubeola that are not covered in the government vaccination plan) if their parents are negligent. The vaccines are free of charge at the government vaccination centers. Occasionally, there are brigades that go out to vaccinate. There could be more parent awareness campaigns, but the vaccines are there to be had for anyone who visits one of the many centers located all around the country or in public hospitals. Medical facilities and vaccination centers are usually located in high density population areas, near where those who need them will live.

And those that are employed have access to the vaccines through private health insurance. Note that the poor may have private health insurance if they are employed.
 
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mobrouser

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Pib said:
The vaccine should be left for kids with compromised immune systems and older people. German Measles is even milder than Chicken Pox, the vaccine is only recommended for women planning to conceive.
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this from the CDC web site http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vaccine/varicella/faqs-gen-vaccine.htm#1-Whyget re:chicken pox--

"certain persons should not receive the chickenpox vaccine. These persons are those who:

Ever had a serious allergic reaction to chickenpox vaccine, neomycin, or gelatin (note: chickenpox vaccine does not contain egg),
Now have moderate or serious illness (note: vaccine may be given to persons with a mild fever, cold or diarrhea),
Are pregnant,
Are unable to fight serious infections because of:
any kind of cancer or cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs, (note: if your child has leukemia in remission he/she may be eligible to receive the vaccine, ask your doctor)
a disease that depresses cellular immune function (note: if your child has HIV infection but has normal immune function he/she may receive the vaccine, ask your doctor)
treatment with drugs such as long-term steroids
Have gotten blood products (such as immune globulin or a transfusion) during the past five months."

In Canada most doctors are recommending chickenpox vaccination, however I chose not to have my children vaccinated.
 
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Pib

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I guess I didn't stress enough that I was talking about Europe. Mea Culpa.

The thing is that in Europe, where most (all?) countries have socialized medical care they have weighed the pros and cons and have decided against it.

The vaccine has not been proven completely reliable, neither short nor long term, and it only protects you for so long, so if your child gets the vaccine then you are putting him at risk at a later age when he will be more vulnerable. For total inmunity (which doesn't exist in neither case) you would have to keep people getting the vaccine every 10 years. That's too much money I suppose.



BTW, I will get the vaccine for myself once the brat is school age. I never got any of those children's diseases.
 
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rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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Dolores said:
This is not true... The vaccines are free of charge at the government vaccination centers.
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Do you know if that's the case the Chicked Pox vaccine or only the vaccines for the more serious diseases?
 
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Fiesta Mama

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Okay so do many Dominican children actually get the CP? I mean in North America most children do (I know my sister and I both did) get them so I am wondering if it is equally as common in the DR?
 
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Chirimoya

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Fiesta Mama said:
Okay so do many Dominican children actually get the CP? I mean in North America most children do (I know my sister and I both did) get them so I am wondering if it is equally as common in the DR?
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Fiesta Mama, I stress this is completely anecdotal, but in my home town where they do not vaccinate children for chickenpox, (as Pib mentioned it's not standard practice in Europe the way it is in the Americas) the whole pre-school population seemed to be getting it last summer. Everywhere you went and everyone you spoke to there was mention of a child with chickenpox.

In the DR I've not heard of that many children getting it, though I have come across some cases.

Can we conclude from this that a significant proportion of the DR child population is getting the vaccination?
 
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Dolores1

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Fiesta Mama said:
Okay so do many Dominican children actually get the CP? I mean in North America most children do (I know my sister and I both did) get them so I am wondering if it is equally as common in the DR?
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No, I do not think it is equally as common. I would think that only those that pay for the vaccine get it, so we are talking of a minority here. It is not included in most private health coverage plans, nor does the government distribute the vaccine.

It would be up to the pediatrician and the parent. I believe the local authorities agree with what the Europeans think about the vaccine and that chicken pox should be let be.
 
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Fiesta Mama

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Dolores said:
No, I do not think it is equally as common. I would think that only those that pay for the vaccine get it, so we are talking of a minority here. It is not included in most private health coverage plans, nor does the government distribute the vaccine.

It would be up to the pediatrician and the parent. I believe the local authorities agree with what the Europeans think about the vaccine and that chicken pox should be let be.
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Dolores... I think you misunderstood my question. What I was asking is compared to North America (or other countries in the world) is it common for children in the DR to become infected with Chicken Pox... meaning how many actually get it regardless of whether they have had the vaccination or not?
 
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Dolores1

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Fiesta Mama said:
Dolores... I think you misunderstood my question. What I was asking is compared to North America (or other countries in the world) is it common for children in the DR to become infected with Chicken Pox... meaning how many actually get it regardless of whether they have had the vaccination or not?
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That's a question for the Pan American Health Organization or the World Health Organization, if they keep statistics on how many Dominicans get chicken pox. Since it is a disease for which hospitalization is only rarely required, I doubt there is data on this to do the comparison. All I can say is that it is common in the DR. As to how it compares to other countries, there do not have any reference. Chirimoya, who has a pre-school child, and who has lived in European countries, ventures that it is less common here than in Europe.
 
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Peter & Alex

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Chicken Pox in Cabarete

Just back in town but have heard from at least 2 sources that there is a bout of chicken pox doing the rounds. A friend of mine lost her restaurant chef for a few days whilst he went through the spotty, itchy stage?
Most of us British expats would have had it as a child and I believe that it's rare to catch it again so there's no panic.
 
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