Malaria in Saipan

QUESTION:

Should I worry about Malaria while in Saipan for 1-2 months? I leave soon and would like to know if I should be vaccinated.

ANSWER:

The first thing I should say, which is crucially important, is that THERE IS NO VACCINE FOR MALARIA! There are, however, many other ways of effectively ensuring that you do not get infected when travelling to or living in malaria transmission areas. In any case, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) considers the Northern Mariana Islands (including Saipan) as free from malaria, so you probably don’t need to worry about asking your doctor about preventative medicine, which you should certainly do if travelling to a highly malarial zone. There are certainly various mosquito species present on the islands, however, and so it might still be beneficial to take precautions against getting bitten, such as wearing insect repellant and long-sleeved clothing, especially at dawn, dusk and at night.