What Vaccinations do I Need to Enter Costa Rica?
-
Hi Matt,
No immunizations are required when entering Costa Rica from the US or Canada. However, there are some recommended.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the following recommendations, classed as “routine vaccines”:
- Chickenpox (Varicella)
- Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
- Flu (influenza)
- Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
- Polio
- Shingles
Personally, I don’t get the flu vaccine, and having received the others when I was young don’t need to worry about those.
Other recommended vaccines by the CDC are:
- COVID-19
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Malaria
- Measles
- Rabies
- Typhoid
- Yellow Fever
I got a couple of Covid-19 shots, but I am not continuing with them; the only other two I have gotten are Hepatitis A and B. I don’t know anyone who has ever taken Malaria medicine before traveling to Costa Rica.
However, if you plan to spend time in very rural parts of the country, you may want to play it safe and get everything. Also, if you plan to travel to other Latin American countries from Costa Rica, be aware that some vaccines such as yellow fever and typhoid may be required.
For everything else you need to know about moving to Costa Rica, check out the dedicated page on our newly redesigned website.