Forum Discussion

anns's avatar
anns
Explorer
May 15, 2021

Travel buddies

Hi all. I am going to South Africa for 3 months with my 2 little travel buddies (jack russels). We are planning to stay only on the campsites (wild camping is not very safe there). What do you think are the most important things i have to take with and/or to consider before leaving?
Update: my dogs had all the necessary vaccines, i had a long consulting session with the Pet pharmacy and they recommend a flea and tick treatment K9 Advantix as the best on the market for today (what's your opinion on that?), they also helped me to prepare a little travel kit for my doggies with everything they can possible need during long travel/airport hours)))
  • anns's avatar
    anns
    Explorer
    May 24, 2021
    Crowe wrote:
    3) if i would read what is written on those government websites i would never ever travel somewhere...

    Bingo. You want to get scared? Read the advisories for cities like LA, NYC and Chicago as well as the US in general. Tourist areas in SA are safe. I have researched the country in depth because we plan on going there within the next 3-5 years. As in all travel heed guidelines, etc.

    That said you don't say when you plan on going. Personally I would wait until COVID is better under control. This is the website with the info regarding the importation of animals: https://www.gov.za/services/import/import-animals-and-animal-products

    Thanks for the link. I appreciate your advises, but SA is not a new country for me at all, i spend there maybe a year in total and i know that there are some very dodgy areas where you dont stop even to go to the toilet or on the patrol station. My first time in SA I traveled all the way from Durban to Capetown with a little car and a tent (took me around a month time)
  • dturm's avatar
    dturm
    Moderator
    May 24, 2021
    This is a post from the COVID thread:

    BCSnob wrote:
    Efficacy Estimates for Various COVID-19 Vaccines: What we Know from the Literature and Reports
    Medrxiv preprint

    Abstract

    In this report, we provide summary estimates, from publications and reports, of vaccine efficacy (VE) for the COVID-19 vaccines that are being rolled out on a global scale. We find that, on average, the efficacy against any disease with infection is 85% (95% CI: 71 - 93%) after a full course of vaccination. The VE against severe disease, hospitalization or death averages close to 100%. The average VE against infection, regardless of symptoms, is 84% (95% CI: 70 - 91%). We also find that the average VE against transmission to others for Infected vaccinated people is 54% (95% CI: 38 - 66%). Finally, we prove summary estimates of the VE against any disease with infection for some of the variants of concern (VOC). The average VE for the VOC B.1.1.7, B.1.1.28 (P1) and B.1.351 are 86% (95% CI: 65 - 84%), 61% (95% CI: 43 - 73%) and 56% (95% CI: 29 - 73%), respectively.


    If I read it correctly, the vaccine efficacy against the South African COVID Variant (B.1.351) is 56%.
  • Crowe's avatar
    Crowe
    Explorer
    May 24, 2021
    3) if i would read what is written on those government websites i would never ever travel somewhere...

    Bingo. You want to get scared? Read the advisories for cities like LA, NYC and Chicago as well as the US in general. Tourist areas in SA are safe. I have researched the country in depth because we plan on going there within the next 3-5 years. As in all travel heed guidelines, etc.

    That said you don't say when you plan on going. Personally I would wait until COVID is better under control. This is the website with the info regarding the importation of animals: https://www.gov.za/services/import/import-animals-and-animal-products
  • anns's avatar
    anns
    Explorer
    May 24, 2021
    Deb and Ed M wrote:
    Even ignoring the obvious SA variant Covid threat (surely you're vaccinated?); even ignoring the ability to bribe your way around quarantine requirements - why on Earth would you go there with THIS "Do Not Travel" threat:
    Terrorism

    1) yes, i am vaccinated
    2) i am not going to bribe anyone. there are also legal ways to avoid quarantine
    3) if i would read what is written on those government websites i would never ever travel somewhere...
  • Deb_and_Ed_M's avatar
    Deb_and_Ed_M
    Explorer II
    May 22, 2021
    Even ignoring the obvious SA variant Covid threat (surely you're vaccinated?); even ignoring the ability to bribe your way around quarantine requirements - why on Earth would you go there with THIS "Do Not Travel" threat:
    Terrorism
  • anns's avatar
    anns
    Explorer
    May 21, 2021
    rk911 wrote:
    whey my BIL was temporarily transfered to Britain he wanted to take his cat until he learned that his cat would be in a 6-month quarantine. now that was years ago but the point is to check the laws in Sud Africa.

    Its SA, there is always a way to go around that...;)
  • anns's avatar
    anns
    Explorer
    May 21, 2021
    dturm wrote:
    Check out the import requirements for South Africa and for return to the US. You need to plan way ahead of time and go through the international requirements and many require prior authorization. Titers for many diseases have to be performed before your trip.

    In this time I'd also be concerned about COVID and medical care available in South Africa. I know that their health care system is NOT third world caliber and if they are not overwhelmed with COVID should provide the type of care available here in the states.

    USDA APHIS web site.

    I've been to SA many times and medical care there is pretty good, nothing to be concerned about if you have an insurance.
  • rk911's avatar
    rk911
    Explorer
    May 16, 2021
    whey my BIL was temporarily transfered to Britain he wanted to take his cat until he learned that his cat would be in a 6-month quarantine. now that was years ago but the point is to check the laws in Sud Africa.
  • colliehauler's avatar
    colliehauler
    Explorer III
    May 16, 2021
    Do they have a 2 week quarantine in S. Africa for pets? And when you get back to the US?
  • dturm's avatar
    dturm
    Moderator
    May 15, 2021
    Check out the import requirements for South Africa and for return to the US. You need to plan way ahead of time and go through the international requirements and many require prior authorization. Titers for many diseases have to be performed before your trip.

    In this time I'd also be concerned about COVID and medical care available in South Africa. I know that their health care system is NOT third world caliber and if they are not overwhelmed with COVID should provide the type of care available here in the states.

    USDA APHIS web site.

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