From the outdoor adventures to be had in Patagonia to the rainforests of Surinam to the gaucho culture of Argentina, South America has something for everyone. But with new experiences and locations come new health risks. Travel can be hard on the body, so it makes sense to take the best possible care of yourself to reduce your risk of exposure to unfamiliar bugs and pathogens, and to support your immune system if you are exposed to health risks.
Do I need to get vaccinated to go to South America?
Depending on your medical history and vaccination status, you may need to get some shots before you go to South America.
To find out whether you should get vaccinated against flu, covid, measles hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies for your trip to South America, it’s best to visit a travel health professional. This is because the risks you will be exposed to depend on where you are visiting, and when; and also on which activities you’ll be doing. For example, you will get very different health advice for a visit to the rain forests of Paraguay than you will for a trip to Machu Picchu in the Peruvian Andes.
We’d like to see you six to eight weeks before your departure date. This is because some travel vaccines have to be given in multiple one doses spread over several weeks.
Making a travel health appointment for a trip to South America
It’s very quick and easy to get a travel health appointment ahead of your trip to South America. Use our clinics page to select your region and then pick your most convenient clinic location. For example, here is our travel clinic in San Antonio.
We have plenty of appointments at our travel clinics, which are in city center locations for your convenience.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate when I go to South America?
Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne illness. Many countries across the world require arriving travelers to show a certificate proving that they’re either immune to yellow fever or vaccinated against it. This is to help control the disease within their own populations.
If you can’t produce a yellow fever certificate when required, you may be forced to get vaccinated or turned away at the border or even sent back where you came from.
Countries alter their yellow fever certificate requirements according to the prevalence of the disease in their population. So it’s best to get expert advice on whether you need to have the yellow fever vaccine.
Where can I get reliable travel health advice ahead of a trip to South America?
The best place to get up-to-date, dependable travel health advice for a vacation or business trip to South America is from a face-to-face appointment with a travel health adviser. They will draw on the latest professional travel health advice, and they have the skills to interpret it and to give you bespoke advice. Make an appointment at one of our travel health clinics six to eight weeks before your departure date.
You can get an outline of the health risks at your destination in South America from the US State Department’s travel advisories.
Travel at altitude
Some parts of South America are at altitude, and it’s important to understand the health risks associated with travel at altitude. If you are visiting a place that is higher than 7,900 feet above sea level you are at risk from altitude sickness. There is a particular risk of altitude sickness if you’re flying straight into a high-altitude place, such as some airports in Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador.
We have a travel advice article about altitude sickness. You can also ask about altitude sickness risk and meds you can take for it at your travel health appointment.
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