Health and Safety
Tanzania Covid-19 Entry Requirements & Other Health/Safety Related Information
First of all the entry requirements to Tanzania are very straight-forward and not ever-changing. To enter Tanzania travelers need only a negative PCR test for coronavirus. Upon arrival, you will still need to take an express test at the airport, which costs $10.
Tanzania has a very consistent travel restriction policy. Most recently (published May 2021), health management restricted entry from arrivals coming from India. Otherwise, travel into Tanzania is open. This country is dependent on tourism and interaction with neighboring nations, and there is no indication that they will close the border again.
The risk of contracting coronavirus in Tanzania is very small, for several reasons:
- The number of tourists visiting Tanzania is relatively small compared to other major travel hubs. For example, in 2019, about 30,000,000 (thirty million) people visited Barcelona, while only 1,200,000 ( one million and two hundred thousand) visited Tanzania in that same time-frame.
- Social Distancing is easily accomplished for safari drives and mountain treks. Travel groups stay together and do not necessarily need to have any interaction with anyone outside of the climbing team or their safari group.
- Most of the activities travelers to Tanzania experience are outdoors, in fresh air. Game drives and wildlife viewing, hiking and trekking are all outdoor experiences. Lodges are well-spread apart from one another, not like multi-storey hotel buildings in major European cities. And mountain expeditions include comfortable camping outdoors in tents. Game drives and wildlife viewing, hiking and trekking are all outdoor experiences. Lodges are well-spread apart from one another, not like multi-storey hotel buildings in major European cities. And mountain expeditions include comfortable camping outdoors in tents.
Advice for All Destinations
The risks to health whilst traveling will vary between individuals and many issues need to be taken into account, e.g. activities abroad, length of stay and general health of the traveler. It is recommended that you consult with your General Practitioner or Practice Nurse 6-8 weeks in advance of travel. They will assess your particular health risks before recommending vaccines and /or antimalarial tablets. This is also a good opportunity to discuss important travel health issues including safe food and water, accidents, sun exposure and insect bites. Many of the problems experienced by travelers cannot be prevented by vaccinations and other preventive measures need to be taken.
Measles occurs worldwide and is common in developing countries. The pre-travel consultation is a good opportunity to check that you are immune, either by previous immunization or natural measles infection.
Ensure you are fully insured for medical emergencies including repatriation. UK travelers visiting other European Union countries should also carry the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) as it entitles travelers to reduced cost, sometimes free, medical treatment in most European countries. Online applications normally arrive within seven days. Applications may also be made by telephone on 0300 330 1350 or by post using the form which can be downloaded from the website.
For Travel Safety Advice you should visit the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.
A worldwide list of clinics, run by members of the International Society of Travel Medicine is available on the ISTM website.
Immunizations
Confirm primary courses and boosters are up to date as recommended for life in Britain – including for example, vaccines required for occupational risk of exposure, lifestyle risks and underlying medical conditions.
Courses or boosters usually advised: Diphtheria; Hepatitis A; Tetanus; Typhoid.
Other vaccines to consider: Cholera; Hepatitis B; Meningococcal Meningitis; Rabies; Yellow Fever.
Yellow fever vaccination certificate required for travelers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited more than 12 hours through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. The certificate of yellow fever vaccination is valid for life in this country.
Yellow Fever: spread by the bite of an infected, day-biting mosquito. The disease is mainly found in rural areas but outbreaks in urban areas do occur. Vaccination is usually recommended for those who travel into risk areas. View yellow fever risk areas here. Some travelers may require vaccination for certificate purposes only.
Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter Kenya or Tanzania only if arriving from a yellow fever affected area. Kenya and Tanzania are yellow fever affected areas so arrival from Kenya into Tanzania requires proof of yellow fever vaccination. No other immunizations are required. The CDC recommends that all travelers to East Africa be up-to-date on vaccinations for measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT), poliovirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, yellow fever and typhoid; however, you should consult with your personal physician.
Notes on the diseases mentioned above
Cholera: spread through consumption of contaminated water and food. More common during floods and after natural disasters, in areas with very poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water. It would be unusual for travellers to contract cholera if they take basic precautions with food and water and maintain a good standard of hygiene.
Diphtheria: spread person to person through respiratory droplets. Risk is higher if mixing with locals in poor, overcrowded living conditions.
Hepatitis A: spread through consuming contaminated food and water or person to person through the faecal-oral route. Risk is higher where personal hygiene and sanitation are poor.
Hepatitis B: spread through infected blood and blood products, contaminated needles and medical instruments and sexual intercourse. Risk is higher for those at occupational risk, long stays or frequent travel, children (exposed through cuts and scratches) and individuals who may need, or request, surgical procedures abroad.
Meningococcal Meningitis: spread by droplet infection through close person to person contact. Meningococcal disease is found worldwide but epidemics may occur within this country, particularly during the dry season. Risk is higher for those mixing with locals for extended periods.
Rabies: spread through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite, scratch or lick on broken skin. Particularly dogs and related species, but also bats. Risk is higher for those going to remote areas (who may not be able to promptly access appropriate treatment in the event of a bite), long stays, those at higher risk of contact with animals and bats, and children. Even when a pre-exposure vaccine has been received, urgent medical advice should be sought after any animal or bat bite.
Tetanus: spread through contamination of cuts, burns and wounds with tetanus spores. Spores are found in soil worldwide. A total of 5 doses of tetanus vaccine are recommended for life in the UK. Boosters are usually recommended in a country or situation where the correct treatment of an injury may not be readily available.
Typhoid: spread mainly through consumption of contaminated food and drink. Risk is higher where access to adequate sanitation and safe water is limited.
Malaria in Tanzania
Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease transmitted by mosquitoes. You cannot be vaccinated against malaria.
Malaria precautions
Malaria precautions are essential in all areas below 1800m, all year round.
Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellents on exposed skin and, when necessary, sleeping under a mosquito net.
Check with your doctor or nurse about suitable antimalarial tablets.
Common Simple Problems
Headache
A common outdoor complaint, headaches have three general courses: 1) dehydration, 2) muscular tension, and 3) a vascular disorder. Most headaches respond to rest, hydration, massage and over the-counter painkillers, e.g. ibuprofen. Beware of the headache that comes on suddenly, is unrelieved by rest and medication, and it not like any other headache you have ever had.
Nosebleed
Lean the patient forward and pinch the meaty part of the nose firmly shut. Hold it for 10 to 15 minutes. If bleeding persists, a squirt of a nose spray, such as Afrin, may help stop the bleeding. If the bleeding still persists, pack the nostrils gently with gauze soaked with antibiotic ointment or a spray such as Afrin. It is possible for noses to bleed from the back, and blood runs down the throat.
Snow blindness
Six to twelve hours after overexposure to the sun’s radiation, the patient complains of pain and swelling in the eye with a feeling like an “eye full of sand”. The cornea of the eye has been sunburned. Sunburned eyes are usually very sensitive to light. Rinses with cool water will clean the eye and ease the pain. Cool compresses may be applied for pain. A small amount of antibiotic ointment may be applied several times a day for two to three days. Ointments made for the eye are best. The patient’s eyes may need to be covered for 24 hours. Snow blindness almost always resolves harmlessly in 24 to 48 hours. Prolonged discomfort is reason to see a physician. The problem can be prevented by water; sunglasses should fit well and have side-shields to block reflected UV light.
Sunburn
The immediate response to overexposure to ultraviolet light is burned skin aging and degenerative skin disorders such as a cancer. First aid for sunburn includes cooling the skin, applying a moisturizer, ibuprofen for pain and inflammation, and staying out of direct sunlight. If blisters form, a doctor should be consulted. Prevention of sunburn includes hats with brims and tightly-woven clothing, sun blocks such as zinc oxide, and sunscreens with a high sun protection factor-SPF 15 or more. Be aware: You can burn on cloudy days, sunlight is most harmful between the hours of 10AM and 3PM, sunlight is most harmful between the hours of 10am and 3pm, and large amounts of UV light are reflected by snow and water.
Diarrhea
The back country is home to a multitude of diarrhea-causing life forms: protozoa, bacteria, viruses. They will produce, generally speaking, one of two kinds of diarrhea: 1). Non-invasive diarrhea, with microbial colonies on upper small intestine walls, leading to abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and massive amounts of water, filled with salt and potassium, rushing out of the bowels. 2). Invasive diarrhea, sometimes called dysentery, with bacteria attacking the lower small intestine and colon, causing inflammation, bloody bowel movements, fever, abdominal cramping, and painful release of loose stools.
Whatever the cause, dehydration is the immediate problem with diarrhea. Mild diarrhea can be treated with water or diluted fruit juices or diluted sports drinks. Persistent diarrhea requires more aggressive replacement of electrolytes lost in the stool. Oral dehydration solutions are best for treating serious diarrhea. You can get by, usually, adding one tsp. salt and eight tsp. sugar to a liter of water. The patient should drink about one-fourth of this solution every hour, along with all the water he or she will tolerate. Rice, grains, bananas, and potatoes are OK to eat. Fats, dairy products, caffeine and alcohol should be avoided.
Over-the-counter medications for watery diarrhea are available. Prescription medications include Lomotil. Dysentery should be treated with antibiotics, not medicinal plugs.
Dehydration
Water is easily and quickly lost from the body in the outdoors through sweating, urination, defecation, breathing, and diarrhea. Even mild dehydration causes loss of energy, loss of mental acuity, and loss of fun. Mild dehydration shows up as thirst, dry mouth and dark urine. Moderate dehydration adds very dry mouth, reduction of the amount of dark urine, a rapid weak pulse, and remarkable dizziness when the patient stands up. Severe dehydration very very dry mouth, lack of urine, and chock. Treatment of dehydration is explained above (see Diarrhea). Prevention is this: Drink half-liter every morning. Drink a quarter-liter every 15 to 20 minutes during periods of exercise. Drink enough to keep you urine clear.
Aedes Aegypti:
Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, is a mosquito that can spread dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika fever, Mayaro and yellow fever viruses, and other disease agents. The mosquito can be recognized by white markings on its legs and a marking in the form of a lyre on the upper surface of its thorax.
Zika
First discovered in Uganda in 1947, the Zika virus is mostly invisible in four out of five infected people. With little to no symptoms, Zika can often be overlooked but is especially dangerous for pregnant women. Linked to the birth defect known as microcephaly, Zika can cause small heads and brain damage in newborns.
However, those who do develop symptoms often report low-grade fevers, conjunctivitis, joint pain, and rashes. In more severe cases, Zika has caused viral infections leading to paralysis of the legs.
Dengue Fever
Although rare in the United States, Dengue is common in highly traveled areas such as Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Also known as “Breakbone Fever,” dengue fever can be severe and cause excruciating pain to those who become infected. Characterized by a sudden high fever, rash, headache, and pain behind the eyes, along with muscle, joint, and bone pain, dengue fever can also lead to hemorrhagic fever, which can be deadly.
Chikungunya
Chikungunya is native to Asia and India but has started to make its way into European and American countries. With no cure and symptoms that may last months or years, chikungunya can also be asymptomatic. However, for those that do experience the effects of the disease, the joint pain is often debilitating. Not to mention the rash, severe swelling, headache, nausea, and fatigue that present themselves as well.
While no vaccine and treatments are available for Zika, dengue fever, or chikungunya, avoiding exposure to mosquitos becomes crucial. However, with the limited warm seasons, we have here in New England, that’s easier said than done!