Typhoid and Bird Flu and SARS Oh my

Leave it to the CDC to scare the shyte out of you.  I had to visit the CDC website to get a list of the shots that I'll need for my journey.  I found that in addition to making sure that my routine vaccination shots are up to date there's a shitload of other shots and medications that I will need to get/take before, during and after my trip including but not limited to Hep A and B, typhoid and malaria.  They recommend that you get a Rabies shot if you plan to hike, camp, bicycle, work or simply plan on spending a lot of time outdoors in rural areas.  

The website goes on to provide other information:  

1. Items to bring with you.

Antimalarial pills

Diarrhea medicine

Iodine tablets and potable water filters if bottled water is not available

Sunblock and sunglasses for protection from harmful UV rays (see skin cancer)

Antibacterial hand wipes or alcohol base hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

To prevent insect/mosquito bites bring:

Long pants, long sleeve shirts and a hat 

Flying insect spray to spray room

Bed nets treated with Permethrin if not sleeping in an AC room. 

2. Other Diseases found in East Asia

Too many to name here, plus you wouldn't be able to pronounce them.  All designed to scared the bejaysus out of you.  

3. Staying Healthy During Your Trip. 

Prevent Insect Bite - see pants, shirts and hat above.

Be careful about food and water - only bottled water and carbonated soda.  If not avail use those iodine pills and water filters (see above).  Don't eat uncooked food or food from street vendors.  (Bunk that (as we used to say when I was a kid) I'm so looking forward to eating from street vendors Anthony Bourdain highly recommends eating where the locals eat.)  Avoid dairy products, unless you know that they've been pasteurized.  (Thank god for my lactose intolerationism, huh?)

Avoid injuries - avoid drinking and driving, seat belts, watching when crossing the streets, don't get on overloaded buses or mini-buses (yeah right, with a couple billion people I really expect to find a seat of a bus.)

Other helpful tips - avoid animal bites and serious diseases like rabies and plague.  Avoid infection from HIV and Hepatitis by not sharing tattoo needles, getting body piercing or needles. 

4. After Your Return Home

Continue taking your malaria medicine cause you may have brought it home with you stupid.  

It seems to me that this site is designed to keep people from leaving the confines of the U.S. by scaring the shyte out of them.  It's a wonder anyone travels the world after reading this information.  

With all the Imodium AD, Purrell, anti malaria pills, insect repellent, sunscreen, condoms and disposable needles I'll need to bring with me there won't be any room in my backpack for the long pants and long sleeve shirts and hat I'm supposed to bring.  

Maybe I'll just stay in U.S. where I know with certainty that: the tattoo needles are sterilized, that the intravenous ones are too, unless that is you happened to have gone to that hospital that was recently found to have been re-using intravenous needles FOR YEARS!  

Nah, I think I'll take my chances and hit the road.