Vaccination Requirements For Central American Travel

If you're planning a trip to Central America, it's important to be aware of the health requirements and risks in the countries you'll be visiting. In this case, we're looking at whether a yellow fever vaccine is necessary for entry into Honduras, Belize, and Cozumel.

First, it's important to note that Cozumel is an island off the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. While there are no special vaccines required for travel to the Yucatán Peninsula, it's always a good idea to be up to date with standard travel immunizations, such as hepatitis A, MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), tetanus-diphtheria, and typhoid.

Now, let's look at the requirements for the other two countries:

Belize

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that a yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for Belize. However, there are other recommended vaccinations and precautions to consider, such as those for hepatitis A, rabies, and typhoid.

Honduras

According to the CDC, a yellow fever vaccine is required for travelers aged 1-60 years arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission, including those who have transited for more than 12 hours through the airport of such countries. Additionally, the CDC recommends taking prescription medicine to prevent malaria if you're traveling to certain areas of Honduras.

Yellow fever vaccination requirements for Honduras

Yellow fever is a viral disease transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. While there is no risk of infection while travelling in countries outside of tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, certain countries require a yellow fever vaccination. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines areas with a risk of yellow fever transmission as countries or areas where yellow fever virus activity has been reported currently or in the past, and where vectors and animal reservoirs exist.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), yellow fever vaccination is required for travellers aged 1-60 years old arriving in Honduras from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission. This includes those who have had >12-hour airport transits or layovers in countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission. The CDC recommends getting the yellow fever vaccine at least a month before your trip.

The CDC also recommends that all eligible travellers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before travelling to Honduras.

In addition to the yellow fever vaccine, the CDC and WHO recommend the following vaccinations for Honduras:

• Typhoid
• Hepatitis A
• Polio
• Chikungunya
• Rabies
• Hepatitis B
• Influenza
• COVID-19
• Pneumonia
• Meningitis
• Chickenpox
• Shingles
• Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis)
• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)

Please note that the information provided is not exhaustive and may be subject to change. It is always advisable to consult a healthcare professional for the most up-to-date travel advice and ensure that you comply with the entry requirements for your destination.

Yellow fever vaccination requirements for Belize

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a yellow fever vaccination is not required for entry to Belize. The CDC does not recommend the vaccine for travellers to Belize.

However, the CDC does recommend that all travellers ensure they are up to date with routine vaccinations before every trip. These include:

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
• COVID-19

The CDC also recommends that travellers to Belize consider the following vaccinations:

• Hepatitis A
• Rabies
• Typhoid

The CDC also recommends that travellers to Belize take steps to prevent bug bites, as many diseases spread by mosquitoes and other bugs cannot be prevented with a vaccine or medicine.

Yellow fever vaccination requirements for Cozumel

Yellow fever is a viral disease transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. While there is no risk of infection when travelling in countries outside of tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, certain countries do require a yellow fever vaccination.

According to the CDC, yellow fever is not a risk in Belize. Belize currently has no yellow fever vaccine requirements for entering travellers. Therefore, there are no yellow fever vaccination requirements for Cozumel, an island off the coast of Belize.

However, it is important to note that some countries require a yellow fever vaccination if you are travelling from a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission. The Government of Guatemala, for example, requires proof of vaccination from travellers over 1 year old arriving from countries where there is a risk of yellow fever transmission or who have had layovers in airports in these countries.

Yellow Fever Vaccination Recommendations

Although not required for Cozumel, it is always a good idea to be up to date on standard travel immunisations, including MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella), Tetanus-Diphtheria, and Typhoid. The CDC also recommends that all travellers be vaccinated against Hepatitis A, which is spread through contaminated food and water.

Additionally, a rabies vaccine is recommended for travellers whose plans put them at high risk of animal bites, such as hiking or caving in remote areas. Malaria, dengue, and Zika, which are all spread by mosquitoes, are also present in the region, although transmission is not common in most tourist areas.

Yellow fever vaccination recommendations by the CDC

The CDC recommends getting the yellow fever vaccine if you are 9 months old or older and are travelling to or living in areas at risk for the yellow fever virus in Africa and South America. The vaccine is not recommended for those who are allergic to eggs, are 6 months old or younger, are organ transplant recipients, or have been diagnosed with a malignant tumour, a thymus disorder, or a primary immunodeficiency, among other conditions.

The CDC's yellow fever vaccine recommendations are based on a classification system for destination-specific risk for yellow fever virus transmission: endemic, transitional, low potential for exposure, and no risk. The CDC recommends the vaccine for travel to areas classified as having endemic or transitional risk. However, the recommendations can change due to changes in the YF virus circulation, so travellers and clinicians should check the CDC's destination pages for up-to-date information before departure.

The yellow fever vaccine is a live-attenuated vaccine that has been used for over 60 years to actively immunise children and adults against infection with the yellow fever virus. It confers lifetime immunity, and a single dose of the vaccine is adequate for most travellers. However, travellers going to areas with ongoing outbreaks may consider getting a booster dose if it has been 10 years or more since their last vaccination.

In addition to the CDC's recommendations, certain countries may have their own entry requirements for the yellow fever vaccine. It is important to check the specific requirements for your destination before travelling.

Yellow fever vaccination requirements for travellers from certain countries

The requirements for yellow fever vaccination for travellers vary depending on the country of origin and the destination country. Here are the details regarding yellow fever vaccination requirements for travellers from certain countries:

Honduras

According to the CDC, yellow fever vaccination is required for travellers aged 1-60 years old arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission. This includes travellers with airport transits or layovers exceeding 12 hours in countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission. The CDC, however, does not recommend yellow fever vaccination for Honduras.

Belize

The CDC states that there is no malaria transmission in Belize City or on islands frequented by tourists, such as Ambergris Caye. While there are no specific requirements mentioned for Belize, the CDC recommends preventing mosquito bites and taking necessary precautions.

Cozumel, Mexico

Yellow fever vaccination is not required for entry into Mexico. However, the CDC and WHO recommend several other vaccinations, including typhoid, hepatitis A, polio, rabies, hepatitis B, influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, meningitis, chickenpox, shingles, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR).

It is important to note that yellow fever vaccination requirements and recommendations may change over time. Travellers should refer to the most up-to-date information from official sources, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the CDC, before planning their trip.

Frequently asked questions