Drinking water and vaccinations - the Baltics

Finland-- my daughter spent a high'school year living in northern Finland and drank tap water, ate what the family ate, went to restaurants and parties...no problem.

Thanks LauraB! Ya, I don't think Finland will be a problem at all.

Hilda here is website with recommendations for each country for all your questions: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel

Thank you, Stan!

Stan, do you think the CDC is over-cautious?

CDC over-cautious ? Of course not, they're just a cover-your-butt bureaucracy.

There's a few places in Africa and Asia where I keep my shots up, and a few more around the world where I stay away from the water - - the Baltics ain't one of either by a long shot.

We don't have any concerns about drinking tap water in Tallinn, Estonia and I also find no warnings related to Riga, Latvia (in the N. Cruise Ports book), but we avoid tap water in St. Petersburg. Russia. I can't address other cities or countries.

I did a tour of the Baltic capitals a few years ago. Everyone drank the tap water with no ill effects.

Thank you Ed, Norma and Laura!

Hilda, overcautious? I think it is impossible to make any generalization about a whole country in regards to health & safety that is not overcautious. Even the US. At least CDC has to justify their recommendations with data and judgment of the sanitary conditions, health standards and the infrastructure, not just anecdotes. CDC is run by commissioned officers of the Public Health Service, one of the US uniformed services, and just as honorable as any other. I am not affiliated with them, just have worked with CDC folks on occasion.

Still its just a guide. The way I interpret a "bottled water only" or food safety advisory is to not expect that conditions and standards are the same as in the US, and make your own decisions. I might drink the tap water in a modern hotel in a big city, but not in a rundown village. Some people like to take chances and others don't. It doesn't mean you will or won't get sick, just that your chances are greater than in other places.

Because this is a medical question, you might want to pay particular attention to any advice you happen to get from someone with medical training. There are two physicians on this site and I don't think either has posted on this so far. There are medical sites out there, or you could consult a medical professional--or just go with the anecdotal feedback you get here like the rest of us do.

Thank you Stan, thank you Kent