stimpy

You should rely on the US CDC as much as you should rely on the US State Dept when it comes to travel. Both agencies are required to give the most dire warnings imaginable about a place, even if there is almost no chance of something happening. That's because there are people out there who either have the worst luck in the world or put themselves in a position to have bad things happen. And if they complain to the US Govt "No one told me Country X was dangerous", then the US Govt can point to the CDC and State Dept websites where you are advised about all the bad things possible, even for countries like the United Kingdom. Go to travel.state.gov and read up on how dangerous the UK is. If you believed all that, and you were a worry-wart, you would never travel to the UK. And European governments equally have dire warnings about visiting the US.

So no, I wouldn't rely at all on the CDC. And really I wouldn't rely on the SA govt either. I know intelligent people who live in Africa who tell me where I can safely travel without concern about Malaria. Johan is one of those people and he is right that it is foolish to take Malaria meds for a safari in Kruger.

If Malaria meds had no consequences, I might take them myself. Sort of like how I might take a One-A-Day vitamin. But Malaria meds do have serious consequences and you should NOT take them unless you are sure you are going to a place where the risk is high.