HEALTH AND VACCINATIONS FOR MEXICO

Find out here how you can get through your vacation in Mexico without getting sick

Medical care in Mexico is usually very good and especially in the tourist areas you do not have to worry about hygiene or the skills of doctors. In many private hospitals which we recommend to you as a tourist, the medical standards, equipment and latest technologies, are often higher than in many other industrialized nations.

Please contact your doctor before starting the trip and inquire about what you need to pay special attention to. In the case of chronic illnesses, please ensure that you have enough medication for the duration of your vacation.

Please note that we cannot accept any liability for current travel and/or medical recommendations. Our tips and recommendations are mainly based on our personal experience.

Vaccinations

No vaccinations are officially required for Mexico. However, to be on the safe side, we recommend refreshing diphtheria and polio/tetanus vaccinations. You should also take care of hepatitis A and typhoid if you plan to eat at a street stall or spend the night in low-budget accommodation. For safety’s sake it is best to always have a copy of your vaccination certificate with you so that you can act immediately in the event of an emergency.

Please check with your doctor, a vaccination center or an institute for tropical medicine for the current guidelines and recommendations.

Drinking water

We absolutely do not recommend drinking tap water in Mexico unless it has been boiled beforehand. Bottled branded water from retailers is distiled and safe. For travellers with sensitive stomachs we recommend brushing your teeth with it. Be careful with ice cubes if you are way off the beaten path in areas not frequented by tourists. Usually you do not have to worry because all major restaurants and bars sell drinks with ice cubes made with clean potable water.

Diarrhea

One of the most common diseases for travellers in Mexico is “Montezuma’s Revenge”. Changing the climate, time zones, foreign bacteria and above all, changing your diet with new spices and ingrerdients can cause this unpleasant side effect which one is rarely immune to. But don’t worry, appropriate medications are available on site in every pharmacy. If the cause is bacterial or parasitic, often foreign medicine does not help and the local medicine is a better alternative. As a preventative measure, make sure that you do not consume tap water, that the food is well cooked, and that unpeeled fruits and vegetables are disinfected before consumption. Also, be careful with street food! Even though it smells so delicious, you shouldn’t risk your health. If, despite all the precautionary measures, “Moctezuma´s Revenge” occurs, we recommend the medicine “Kaomyzin” which works relatively quickly and is available in any pharmacy.

Cold

Colds are mostly caused by air conditioning systems that are set too cool as well as misjudgments of the weather. Since many places in Mexico are located at a very high altitude above sea level, you should always find out what the climate is like at each travel destination at the time of travel. It is recommended that you always have warm clothes in your luggage, as buses and public buildings are usually heavily air-conditioned.

Travel pharmacy

The pharmacies or “farmacias” which are found on every corner in Mexico, offer a wide range of standard medicine. However, if you prefer to use familiar name brand medicines you usually use in your home country, we recommend to bring the following basics:

– Painkiller
– Antibiotics (after consultation with your doctor)
– Diarrhea medication
– Medication for the return of minerals after gastrointestinal disease
– Mosquito repellent
– Hydrocortisone cream for severe itching
– Wound and healing ointment
– Nasal spray
– Throats lozenges
– Cough medicine
– Drugs for motion sickness
– Sunscreen

Travel health insurance

Be sure to check your travel health insurance before departure. Visits to the doctor must always be paid in cash, but travel health insurance should return this amount with the presentation of proper documentation after the trip.