W hat about health issues in CR?
 

Going on a guided tour with Caravan in December. Any shots needed? Do we avoid salads at restaurants because of the water? Take along pleanty of deet?? I have read about dengy fever and other nasty things one can catch there. Should we worry? Who has gone and returned without coming down with something? Just call me worry wort! Appreciate some replies. Thanks.

This topic has been discussed with some frequency on the board in recent months, so using the search function might be helpful to you.

All any of us can do is speak for ourselves, and OUR experience has been nothing but positive regarding food and water. We travel to CR at least twice per year, usually 3-4 weeks in the summer and have never had a food or water related problem.

We aren't particularly careful-- usually drink bottled water (for convenience) but have stayed in the homes of Tico friends and have drunk tap water on many occasions. Salads and fresh fruits are among our favorite foods in Costa Rica and we eat plenty of chicken, seafood, (and some beef) in addition to the traditional rice and beans that accompany most meals.

I believe most posters will tell you the same thing. There really is no need to worry--Costa Rica is far more advanced in this area than you might think. We are very careful, when traveling in Mexico, to drink (and brush teeth with) bottled water and to avoid unpeeled fruits and salad makings such as lettuce and tomatoes. We don't exercise the same caution in Costa Rica. We go about our dining the same as if traveling in the U.S.

Food related illnesses can and do occur anywhere--my husband was extremely ill in California one night last August after eating a chicken dish in an upscale restaurant in Newport Beach. So, of course, it can happen. The chances of it happening to you in Costa Rica are not enough to warrant your worrying about it.

Dengue Fever can and does afflict tourists and locals occasionally. These instances are rare as well. We know many people in Costa Rica and have been in touch with many who have vacationed there. We are personally acquainted with one local and one tourist who has had dengue. It can make you very ill, but is not life threatening unless you get a more serious form which is very rare.

Hep shots are a good idea for all of us to take, regardless of our travel plans. For several years now, they've been required for school children and are started at birth.

Some people have to be very careful traveling. Most of those people know who they are.
When we were down on the Osa Peninsula several people were ill. It was really hot and humid and maybe they weren't drinking enough water. They seemed to come around in a day or so. I felt really bad for them. There wasn't air conditioning so the only relief was to lie under the fan.
I would go back to CR again in a second.

We are somewhat careful , start off with bottled water , then will drink the tap water , we always take a well stocked little pharmacy with immodium , gravol , etc. etc. We do eat the salad , fruit , , and have not yet been sick ( thank goodness ) It is not hard to get bottled water , so just do what u r comfy with , I can only speak for myself , u r doing the correct thing by gathering info. Make your own judgement call in the end ......

We have traveled to CR 4 times since 2000. We have never taken shots or medications to prepare us for this travel.

In 2003 my husband did become very ill while on vacation in the Dominican Republic, where you simply DO NOT drink the water. Due to this I think he is a bit more cautious probably than me.

We have run into people while traveling that reported some type of stomach bug, fortunately we have never experienced anything in CR.

In CR we do brush teeth with the tap water. The fruits and veggies are wonderfully fresh and delicious. And although we eat these in large quantities, we do not pick them up at local markets or stands, we stick to the ones the hotel, lodges and restaurants have prepared.

We typically eat our meals either at our hotel or at restaurants with good recommendations and/or lots of business.

I will add that our accomodations are typically middle to high end, small lodges and hotels.

Realize that ingesting large quantities of fresh foods, different seasonings, etc can sometimes play havoc on the system, so take along something to settle the stomach just in case.

And keep in mind that dehydration is serious, drink more water than you every think you need.

Now for the Deet - in the event that you have never used a Deet product, do try it before you travel. It is may be rare but there are a few of us that are allergic to this product and the reaction was quite frightening. There is a natural product called Cactus Juice that is sold in many places in CR and can be ordered online, or purchased in many stores in the US - you may also want to try this one.

Just use your common sense and like already advised - take along a mini pharmacy with a few items just in case.

Drank mostly bottled water, but did have my medicine one night with tap water at Peace Lodge. No problems. Ate at salad bars, had tons of fruit, had a lot of frozen drinks with ice, sodas with ice...no problems. The water is very safe there. Much safer than Mexico or Dom. Rep. I'd take some medicine just in case. Basically changes in your usual diet can trigger stomach upset even if everything is clean, so be prepared just in case. Didn't have any special shots. I was in the Arenal/La Paz areas and I didn't evcen find the mosquitos to be that much of an issue. We have more here in SFL in the afternoon. I think i only wore repellent once. Of course, if you'll be deep in the woods for hours make sure to use good insect protection, as you would here in the woods, but I didn't find it to be a problem.

Thank you all very much for addressing my concerns. Suggestions well taken!

We were on a Nile river cruise a number of years ago and only drank bottled water, avoided fresh salads, ate only well cooked foods, etc. We watched it very carefully and miraculously neither of us ever got sick. That was a great trip, by the way.

Costa Rica has an excellent public health system. The water is safe to drink, fruits and vegetables safe to eat. We have been going to CR each winter the past 12 years and never once was either of us ill.
Carol L

The CDC seems to recommend Hep A shots and of course I recognize you can get the illness here too, so we figured why not play it save. Now we will be protected for the future on even more remote adventures! We all have up-to- date tetanus and the kids had the vaccinations for Hep B as required now for school. The state health dept here in Virginia provides the Hep A shots, and they are virtually painless! I have to admit, I think we are being overly cautious in this case, but hey, we were on the Disney Flu-cruise a few years back!

My husband is a biologist and he has travelled to questionable places without geting sick. His secret is, never eat raw, uncooked, unpealed fruit, vegies, salad while on vacation. doesn't matter how clean it is, it can't be sterile, and you are in a new environment where your body isn't accostomed to the flora and fauna which is different from where you live. So, he is often the only one who doesn't get sick when he travels on adventures with friends to places I wouldn't go! Also drink bottled water, and check the label of the bottled water just like you would at home...assuming you can read a little espanol!

If you aren't too worried about travellers illness, or you just have amazing health when you travel, you can ignore this advice. But if you are concerned, this advice really works, I have learned the hard way!!! So, no raw green salads...eat cooked vegies, cooked beans...Eat only pealed fruit, even better if you have washed and pealed it yourself...Eat only hot, cooked meats...Don't buy food from corner stands that may not have adequate refrigeration. Don't eat raw fish either (ceviche, sushi) except when you're in your home town and you know what your body can handle... Just because the locals can eat it, doesn't mean you necessarily can handle it...Their bodies have adjusted to their environment!

Also, my personal advice...if you want to get sick, eat mostly at buffets...this increases the chances you will get sick, as you are sampling a variety of things, some of which have been sitting around for a while! I speak from experience...

Compared to other Central American countries, CR has high standards. However, compared to Canada and the USA, Hep A rates are significantly higher in CR. We went ahead and got the Hep A shots and then the booster several months after returning from CR. We figured that it was a good idea for two reasons:
1. Hep A occurances are higher in CR.
2. We do a lot of traveling in places less safe than CR, so let's have the lifetime protection.
3. Even in places like the USA and western Europe where Hep A rates are lower, it does happen, so why not take the shots?