Staying Healthy While Traveling in Mexico: Essential Tips
Travelers in Mexico can stay healthy by following essential tips like only eating safe food and drinking safe water, protecting themselves against mosquito bites, and more. By being aware of the risks to their health and taking the necessary precautions, visitors in Mexico can stay safe.
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Are you planning on traveling to Mexico soon and want to know more about how you can enjoy your visit illness-free? You will likely want to know how you can avoid dealing with health and safety risks. This article from Pacific Prime will share how you can do exactly that.
We will explain the health risks travelers face while visiting Mexico, and share tips that can help you avoid and prevent them. We will also explain your healthcare options as a visitor in Mexico.
Keep reading to learn how you can stay healthy while visiting Mexico!
Understanding Health Risks While Traveling in Mexico
The health risks travelers face when traveling in Mexico include food and waterborne illnesses, diseases from mosquito bites, altitude sicknesses, and more. Some specific regions may have higher health risks than others, and it’s important to research and prepare before you leave for your trip.
- Food and Waterborne Illnesses: Food and water may be contaminated depending on the region of Mexico you are in. Drinking unsafe water and eating unsafe foods can give you traveler’s diarrhea at best, and severe food poisoning at worst.
- Diseases from Mosquito Bites: Dengue and Zika are two diseases that can be spread by mosquitos living in Mexico. Zika is mostly perilous to pregnant women as it can cause birth defects, while Dengue can cause death in the most severe cases.
- Altitude Sickness: Some areas of Mexico are at much higher elevations than others, which can cause those who are accustomed to the elevation to suffer from altitude sickness. Shortness of breath, dizziness, and fatigue are common symptoms of this sickness.
- Heat Stroke: Mexico has a varied climate, but specific regions can get blisteringly hot and carry the risk of heat stroke for travelers. Heat stroke can occur when your body gets dehydrated and overheated and can be deadly in severe cases.
- Bacteria from Water: Mexico’s freshwater should not be drunk or swam in due to the bacteria it can carry. To prevent serious bacterial infections, swim only in chlorinated water or the ocean.
Tips for Protecting Your Health Abroad in Mexico
There are plenty of easy tips travelers can follow to protect their health while abroad in Mexico, like ensuring they are fully vaccinated, staying hydrated during hot days, and more. We will share these tips and explain more about them below.
Get Vaccinated Before Your Trip
Before you travel to Mexico, you will want to ensure you are vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, malaria, measles, rabies, and typhoid. Health experts at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommend these vaccines, as well as all your typical vaccines, such as the Tetanus shot.
Because different vaccines can take different amounts of time to come into full protective effect, CDC experts advise travelers to get all necessary vaccines a month before their trip.
Eating and Drinking Safely in Mexico
Travelers in Mexico can prevent food poisoning and stomach aches by only eating cooked foods, drinking bottled water, avoiding ice in their beverages, and dining at only reputable and hygienic restaurants.
Tap water in Mexico can carry harmful bacteria depending on where you are, so the safest bet is to only drink bottled water and not ask for ice in your beverages. Fully cooked food also offers less of a chance of having harmful bacteria that could cause food poisoning.
Mexico is full of street vendors that may offer appetizing-looking meals, but take care to notice their hygiene practices and reputation. If you choose to eat at a street stall, try to pick vendors with quick-turnover of meals. You don’t want to eat food that has been lying out for hours.
Protecting Against Mosquito-Borne Illnesses in Mexico
The Zika virus and Dengue fever are both transmitted through mosquito bites and can occur in Mexico. These risks can be mitigated with safety precautions. However, pregnant women are advised not to go to any area with a Zika outbreak. This is due to the virus causing birth defects.
Travelers in Mexico can take safety precautions, such as wearing insect repellant and long sleeves and pants to protect their skin from bites. Additionally, they can protect themselves as they sleep by keeping their windows shut or sleeping under a mosquito net.
The best way to prevent mosquito bites is to use an insect repellant that has been registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Some EPA-registered insect repellents include DEET, Oil of lemon eucalyptus, and Picaridin.
Coping with Altitude Changes in Mexico
Travelers can cope with altitude changes in Mexico by acclimating slowly to the higher elevation, staying hydrated, and avoiding alcohol and caffeine. Acclimating slowly also means allowing yourself to rest often if your body needs it.
Mexico City and other regions of Mexico have higher altitudes than travelers may be familiar with, which can cause a host of unpleasant symptoms, such as shortness of breath, swelling of the face, hands, and feet, dizziness, headaches, and more.
If you are experiencing these symptoms while in Mexico and they begin to worsen, seek medical help through any local hospitals or clinics.
Engaging in Safe Activities in Mexico
Activities like swimming and hiking are popular in Mexico, but travelers looking to protect their health should only engage in these activities while strictly following safety guidelines.
When swimming, only swim in designated swimming areas and do not swim in freshwater or areas with poor sanitation. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that can be spread in freshwater and can be found in lakes, ponds, or rivers in Mexico.
When hiking in Mexico, stick to well-traveled trails and don’t go off the path. Never hike alone, and bring ample water, food, and a first aid kit.
If you experience a medical emergency while hiking, you will need to be evacuated to the nearest hospital. Medical evacuation insurance benefits in an international health insurance plan can help protect you against the high bills that come with transportation costs.
Healthcare Options in Mexico for Travelers
Travelers in Mexico can access healthcare services through public or private hospitals and clinics. They should be aware of their healthcare options so they can easily access them in case of an emergency or illness.
Public hospitals or clinics are generally less expensive than private health facilities, but they can have longer wait times and less multilingual staff. Private health facilities, on the other hand, can get you to see a doctor faster and support foreigners with multilingual doctors and nurses.
For emergency services, travelers can call 911. Private and public ambulance services are available in Mexico, and travelers should be aware of ‘pirate’ ambulances that are not regulated and charge sky-high fees.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How can foreigners avoid getting sick in Mexico?
Foreigners can avoid getting sick in Mexico by getting any additional vaccines they may need against mosquito-borne diseases, staying away from unsafe foods and drinking water, exercising caution at high altitudes, and exercising caution when engaging in activities like hiking.
What do you do if you get altitude sickness when in Mexico?
If you are experiencing mild altitude sickness, you can treat the illness at home through adequate rest and hydration. Do not ascend into higher elevation until you’re better. If your altitude sickness is severe, seek out medical help immediately.
How can health insurance protect me while traveling in Mexico?
Health insurance can protect travelers in Mexico by helping them access quality healthcare facilities in case of any medical emergency or illness. Important benefits like medical evacuation coverage can protect you with financial support in case you need to be transported to a hospital.
Is swimming in the ocean in Mexico a health risk?
Swimming in the ocean in Mexico is generally safe as long as you avoid swift currents and potentially dangerous aquatic life like jellyfish. Although the ocean does not carry the same bacteria as freshwater in Mexico, you should still rinse off thoroughly after your swim.
Conclusion:
Some key tips travelers should remember to protect their health in Mexico are to watch out for unsafe foods and water, avoid unsafe activities, and protect yourself against mosquito-borne illnesses. By following these strategies, travelers can help better their chances of staying healthy in Mexico.
Travelers can also protect themselves by securing a travel medical insurance policy. This short-term healthcare coverage can protect them against any medical emergencies during their time in Mexico, in addition to traditional travel insurance coverage like baggage loss benefits.
If you’d like to secure a policy, Pacific Prime offers a variety of short-term healthcare plans from their many international provider partners. As an insurance broker, they can offer multiple quotes and plans from many providers instead of one singular insurance company.
Contact Pacific Prime today to begin your journey toward staying healthy in Mexico. You can also use Pacific Prime’s free online quote tool to begin comparing plans on your own.
Serena earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia, Canada. As such, she is an avid advocate of mental health and is fascinated by all things psychology (especially if it’s cognitive psychology!).
Her previous work experience includes teaching toddlers to read, writing for a travel/wellness online magazine, and then a business news blog. These combined experiences give her the skills and insights she needs to explain complex ideas in a succinct way. Being the daughter of an immigrant and a traveler herself, she is passionate about educating expats and digital nomads on travel and international health insurance.
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