To vaccinate or not to vaccinate...

Astute followers of this blog might notice that my estimated cost for immunizations is dropping. I started out with a cost of $1200. That would be a reasonable estimate if we were to get all the recommended shots. So I've been researching to find out exactly which shots we have to have. As it turns out, NONE of the shots are REQUIRED for Ethiopia. But of course ALL of the shots are RECOMMENDED by the CDC (Center for Disease Control). Since we will be in the city, we are at a pretty low risk for most infections. It is a good idea, however, to vaccinate against Hepatitis A and B. We also will update our tetanus shots. So I've ordered vaccines through the pharmacy I work for - further dropping my cost. My mom says she'll administer them for us. She still has a syringe/needle from when she used to give my dad allergy shots 30 years ago. "It's glass," she insists. "You sterilize it in boiling water." What the heck - it's cheap!