Are there vaccines required to enter Costa Rica and visit Corcovado?
There are no vaccinations required from travelers to enter Costa Rica from most countries.
Only travelers coming from the following countries must possess a yellow fever vaccination certificate before entry into Costa Rica will be allowed: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Bolivia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and the Republic of Guyana.
We recommend you contact the embassy of Costa Rica in your home country to get more information about requirements and vaccinations.
Recommendations
As a prevention measure, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does recommend that travelers be vaccinated against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, yellow fever, rabies, meningitis, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis), chickenpox, shingles, pneumonia and influenza.
COVID-19
Travelers no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 vaccine. This eliminates the requirement to complete the epidemiological form known as the Health Pass and the requirement of medical insurance for unvaccinated foreigners.
Costa Rica’s tropical weather and lush scenery attract many tourists from all around the globe. Although Corcovado has a very healthy rainforest, that same equatorial climate brings still water and multiple mosquito-borne illnesses.
Most common diseases in Costa Rica
Malaria
Malaria is a disease spread by parasites living in certain mosquitoes. It typically takes almost two weeks before chills, headaches and fever which are the initial symptoms. It is treatable and curable; a doctor will prescribe you the right medication.
Dengue Fever and Chikungunya Virus
Transferred via mosquito bites and share a few symptoms: headaches, joint and muscle pain and rashes. Fortunately, dengue and chikungunya are rarely fatal. The symptoms normally last between 2 and 7 days.
Zika Virus
Zika is a mosquito-borne illness. Most people do not get any symptoms. This is a problem because it can be spread by having sex, and pregnant women can pass the virus along to their child which would result in birth defects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that there is no vaccine or treatment against Zika. The good news is that cases of Zika virus infection and disease declined from 2017 onwards globally.
Chagas Disease
Also called American trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease is spread via parasites and mostly affects people living in rural areas of Costa Rica. It can infect anyone. When the bug bites someone, it defecates on them. The main symptoms are loss of appetite, fatigue, eyelid swelling and nausea. If left untreated, Chagas disease later can cause heart and digestive problems. During the acute phase of infection, treatment of Chagas disease focuses on killing the parasite.
Leptospirosis
A bacterial disease spread through the infected urine of animals causes Leptospirosis. People at risk are the ones with open wounds or scrapes who come into contact with contaminated water which is fairly easy to prevent. It is harder to diagnose this disease because symptoms are easily mistaken for other viruses and diseases. Symptoms may start to surface after 2 days up to 4 weeks. Avoiding contact with water that may be infected, especially puddles. Wearing water boots during certain tours, like night hikes or protective clothing when engaging in water sports greatly reduces the chances of infection.
Don’t put off traveling to Costa Rica or discovering the Corcovado biodiverse ecosystems fearing to catch a disease. While some of the above-mentioned viruses and diseases may currently have no cure in Costa Rica, prevention is key. A wide range of resources are available to maintain health in climates where such diseases are likely to thrive. In addition, the probability of infection is extremely low.
