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Vaccinations & Medical Records
Many major diseases have been wiped out in Costa Rica. Costa Rica does not require proof of vaccination upon arrival.
Vaccinations
Most of the vaccinations reccommended before travel are usually ones that most people have already received at one time or another in their lifetime. To see a list of suggestions on the MD Travel Health webpage.
In many cases just consult a doctor before coming to Costa Rica. Many times the dostors will try and convince patients that they need to take Malaria medication before coming. In truth no one really needs to do this. It all depends on how "adventurous" the trip is oging to be. More than likely one will NOT need to take this if they arestaying in a resort or high tourism area. Honesty, the medication will only give people bad dreams. It might be good idea if a person is considering spending several days treking through manglars and thick rainforests or other areas that have lots of bugs.
If someone has not recently had your tetanus, polio, typhoid, and infectious hepatitis then these are highgly reccomended before coming. To stay up to date about any outbreaks of diseases always visit the travel section of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of August of 2009 the H1N1 virus has been reported in 851 cases in a population of over 4 million people. Costa Rica's current president Oscar Arias was the first world leader to contract the virus, but is reported to be doing fine with his case under control.
Medical Records
It is reccomended that if someone has any preexisting medical problems they should carry a letter from a doctor describing their condition and any perscriptions they might need. One may want to have this properly translated into Spanish before coming here. If possible and one can travel with your their medical records that would be the safest bet. If someone is bringing down any medication from home make sure that it is still in its original container and is clearly labeled. Many of the perscription drugs that one can find in his/her home country can be found here in Costa Rica and many of them are sold over the counter at local pharmacies, and in some cases without a perscription.
