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Which Vaccinations Do I Need for Peru?

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Machu Picchu, Peru

A trip to Peru with a hike up the Inca Trail is one of the top trips in the world. But, Peru is more than just ruins and trails. The jungles of eastern Peru are some of the most amazing in all the Amazon, and Lake Titicaca is a must visit.

Peruvian travel also poses certain health risks. Food- and mosquito-borne illness are common as well as travelers diarrhea, just to name a few. Be sure to take proper precautions before venturing to The Land of the Incas.

Which Vaccines Do I Need for Peru?

If you’re headed to Peru, you need to make sure that you take steps to safeguard your health. The CDC and WHO recommend visiting a travel health clinic at least four weeks before you leave.

Vaccines for Peru vary based on your specific itinerary. A Passport Health travel specialist will help you decide which vaccines are best for you. The CDC and WHO have recommended that travelers receive the following vaccines:

Is Malaria in Peru?

Malaria is a common mosquito-borne disease especially in South and Central America. Peru is no exception with an estimated 64,000 malaria cases each year. The Loretto region, a popular tourist destination, accounts for a high percentage of the Amazon’s malaria cases.
If you are planning to travel to the jungles of Peru, take some type of antimalarial medication with you. This is especially important during the summers.

What Other Health Concerns Should I Be Aware Of?

Peru is a generally safe place to travel. Follow the same rules you would in any developing country when it comes to food or other activities:

  • Street Food– While often incredible, street food can pose a serious risk to your health. The CDC recommends avoiding it at all times.

  • Water Sources– Peru does not have water sources as pure as those in North America. While in-country, avoid tap water and ice. Consider purchasing bottled water or other drinks in the area or bringing a water filter.

  • Dengue Fever– Peru has reported a large number of denuge cases at various times. As a mosquito-borne disease, repellents are the best way to protect yourself.

  • Zika Virus– While not yet prevalent in Peru, Zika virus has been documented there. Take extra precautions to avoid mosquitoes. This is especially true if you are pregnant or may become pregnant.

  • Chikungunya– There is currently a Level 1 health alert in place for chikungunya in Peru. The CDC recommends taking precautions for against mosquitoes to protect yourself from the disease.

Handy Tips for Enjoying the Peruvian Andes

First, bring sunscreen. Even if it is cloudy outside, you can still get a sunburn while exploring Machu Picchu or the Inca Trail. Select a good sunscreen that is SPF 50 or higher, and apply it several times throughout the day.

When you arrive in Peru, you will receive an Andean migration card instead of a visitor’s visa. You cannot lose this piece of paper as you will need it to stay in hotels and even leave the country. We recommend keeping it clipped to the front page of your passport.

When you go to Machu Picchu, you may need to bring your passport. This may vary based on your specific itinerary. But, consider doing so anyway as you can get a novelty passport stamp there.

Don’t be afraid to ask your hotel to help set up a trip for you. Many locations work with local guides and will be able to help you find a guide. They can arrange transportation for you as well. But, most locations are within a short distance of each other within cities.

If you plan on traveling long distance, such as Cusco to Puno, buses are the way to go. They are usually inexpensive, only about 40 soles, but can be time consuming. Consider traveling at night to maximize your free time.

Going to Peru? Make an Appointment with a Travel Health Specialist Today!

By scheduling a consultation with a travel health specialist, you can help ensure spend every minute of your trip enjoying Peru. Vaccinations can mean the difference between a great time and a serious illness. It makes sense to take care of your health before you go.

We Want To Hear From You!

Have you been to Peru? Share your favorite tips with us in our comments section below. Or reach out to us on Facebook or Twitter with your thoughts.

Key Tips for a Mission Trip to Haiti

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Coastline in Ouest Province, Haiti

Located in the western portion of Hispaniola, Haiti is a creole nation that offers amazing opportunities to tourists and volunteers alike. Despite difficulties in the first decade of the 21st century, Haiti is slowly returning to normal. Haiti remains a particularly high traffic location for individuals going on missions and volunteer vacations, and there are perils in this country that are important to be aware of as well as key preparations that must be taken before departure.

Pre-Travel Medicine

  • Speak with a Passport Health Travel Health Specialist about what vaccines or medications you may need
  • Make a copy of all travel documents to keep in a safe place in case of robbery
  • Be sure to complete any series of medicines that you are given per nurse’s instructions

Haiti is a developing nation, and travel vaccinations and medications are crucial to help ensure a safe and healthy trip. Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for most travelers (and hepatitis B for some) as well as a typhoid vaccination and anti malarial medication. A rabies vaccine may also be suggested if a traveler may be in contact with animals.

Be vigilant of chikungunya, a mosquito-borne virus that recently surfaced in the Caribbean region. Measures for avoiding the disease are fairly similar to those for avoiding malaria. Wear long sleeved clothing, use insect repellants, and use mosquito netting if sleeping in an open air space.

During Your Trip

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What’s in my food and water? Stopping Hepatitis A and Typhoid

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An illness that was first discovered around 430 BC, typhoid has harmed and killed millions of people throughout history. The foodborne ailment claimed the lives of one-third of the Athenian population; many settlers in the English colony at Jamestown, VA; over six-thousand New World settlers; and countless soldiers in multiple wars. But, typhoid is just one of many foodborne killers. Indeed, hepatitis A also presents a significant threat. Also known as heptovirus A, this virus infects more than 1.4 million people each year.

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Doing Good Globally: Abod Shelters

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Over 30 percent of the world’s population lives at or below poverty levels. Many of these impoverished individuals live on less than $1.25 a day, barely enough to eat, much less to have decent shelter. Some parts of the world, like Africa, remain in even more critical situations with over 97 percent of countries in need of some additional housing for their citizens or having a significant portion of citizens living in housing that is far below standard and can barely withstand a rainstorm. Abod Shelters is trying to change these facts with innovative housing designs and philanthropic work.

Abod Shelters started in a simple way with a simple story. Doug Sharp, a seasoned architect and builder, was traveling in South Africa when he met a woman living in an impoverished area.

“A woman took me by the hand and invited me into her home,” Sharp said. “It was dark with holes everywhere that scraps did not [cover]. It was unsteady with one tiny window. But, what impressed me was ‘her pride to have it.’ A home is the only means here to express one’s identity. I knew then, we must step up to create better housing for these forgotten families.”

Sharp came home from that trip and put his words into action by stepping up to the challenge. As chairman of BSB Design, Sharp was in a unique position to help. BSB Design is a leading residential and commercial architecture and land planning firm in the U.S. and worldwide. This connection, along with BSB and Sharp’s years of experience, allowed for what otherwise may have been a small step to become an enormous one.

Together, they founded Abod Shelters and made the organization’s vision to democratize housing in the developing world, its mission to build a foundation for affordable sustainable communities for those in need, and its goal to provide real value to individuals and help support local economies.

Using a novel pop-up design, Abod Shelters’ homes are mobile, allowing individuals to move freely if they must do so while still providing protection and stability to those who use them. So far, the organization has built many homes and is planning a community in Cape Town which will have 100 homes. Although this project is just start in an area like Cape Town, where 1.9 million people live in makeshift dwellings, it is indeed a start that will offer great benefit.

In the coming years, Abod Shelters hopes to increase its ability to help those in need by building key partnerships to accomplish its goals. Since November 2014, Ty Pennington, for example, has been helping the organization plan, build, and recruit, and the organization hopes to get other companies and individuals on board soon.

To find out more about Abod Shelters, the good work the group does, and how you can get involved, please visit the organization’s website.

Is there a person or company you would like to see featured in Doing Good Globally? Let us know in the comments below or by emailing our editorial staff.

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