Travel vaccinations for the Dominican Republic: vaccines, malaria and dengue

The Dominican Republic does not require any vaccination for travellers arriving directly from Germany. The German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) recommends hepatitis A for all travellers, and for long stays or particular exposure also dengue, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies and possibly cholera. You should also check your diphtheria protection. There is a low malaria risk throughout the country, including the resorts, and dengue is transmitted nationwide.

Entry rules: when yellow fever proof is needed

If you arrive directly from Germany, you do not need proof of vaccination. According to the Foreign Office, however, travellers arriving from a yellow fever area must show a yellow fever certificate. The WHO country list says this applies from one year of age and also after a transit of more than twelve hours in such a country. The Dominican Republic itself is not a yellow fever risk area. This becomes relevant if, for example, you have been travelling in parts of South America first. Find out more in our guide to yellow fever vaccination.

Vaccinations recommended by the Foreign Office

The table at the top of this page summarises the recommendations. Here is how to read them:

• For all travellers: hepatitis A.
• For long stays or particular exposure: dengue, hepatitis B, typhoid, rabies and possibly cholera. According to the Foreign Office, cholera vaccination is very rarely needed, for example when working with cholera patients.
• Routine vaccinations: check that you are up to date with the German routine schedule set by STIKO, the Standing Committee on Vaccination.

In Germany, STIKO only recommends dengue vaccination for people with a confirmed previous dengue infection. Your consultation will clarify whether that applies to you.

Diphtheria: check your vaccination status

The Foreign Office reports several diphtheria cases, including deaths, in the Dominican Republic, linked to falling vaccination rates; children across the country are affected. Diphtheria spreads through droplets and can cause serious respiratory, heart, kidney and nerve damage. The Foreign Office advises checking your vaccination status before you travel and having a booster if needed. Your doctor can see from your vaccination record whether one is due. For background, see our guide to routine vaccinations for adults.

Malaria: a low risk even in resorts

According to the Foreign Office and the DTG, malaria risk is present all year. More than 99 per cent of cases are falciparum malaria, the most dangerous form.

Protect yourself consistently against mosquito bites by day and night with repellent, long clothing and a bed net at night. For trips to moderate-risk areas more than 48 hours from the nearest facility able to diagnose malaria, the Foreign Office recommends carrying emergency standby medication. Discuss suitable options with a doctor. Have any fever during or after your trip checked promptly and mention where you have been. Read more in our guide to malaria prevention.

Dengue, Zika and chikungunya

According to the Foreign Office, dengue viruses are transmitted nationwide by day-biting Aedes mosquitoes and increasingly affect travellers. There is no specific treatment. Chikungunya and Zika are also spread by day-biting mosquitoes, and Zika during pregnancy can cause birth defects. Because these mosquitoes bite during the day, take your repellent to the beach and around the resort too. Practical tips are in our guide to dengue and mosquito protection.

What depends on your type of trip

If you are combining the Dominican Republic with other Caribbean destinations, see our country page for Cuba.

Hygiene, food and animals

Diarrhoeal illness is a common travel complaint. The Foreign Office advises drinking only water from safe sources, never tap water, and ideally using it for brushing your teeth. Cook or peel food, keep flies away and wash your hands often. From April to September, tropical sea fish may have eaten toxic algae that cause ciguatera poisoning. You cannot tell from looking at the fish, so follow local warnings.

Isolated cases of rabies keep occurring, according to the Foreign Office, usually transmitted by dogs, cats or bats. Avoid contact with stray animals. After a bite or scratch, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and seek medical help straight away; see our guide to rabies when travelling.

Medical care and costs

In Santo Domingo, the private sector is partly at European standard, according to the Foreign Office, while the public sector, particularly in rural areas, is mostly inadequately equipped. Have any planned procedures done in Germany. There is no social security agreement, so German statutory health insurers pay neither for treatment there nor for repatriation.

Treatment in surgeries and private clinics costs considerably more than in Germany and generally has to be paid in advance. The Foreign Office notes that a simple insurance confirmation is not enough for many clinics, and patients who cannot pay are sometimes kept in hospital until costs are covered. Take out travel health insurance with repatriation cover, clarify payment arrangements early if you are admitted and ask for written confirmation on discharge that no bills are outstanding. Keep your travel health kit out of the heat on the way.

Timing: when to get advice

Allow a few weeks for your vaccination consultation and bring your vaccination record. STIKO and DTG recommend that travel vaccinations are completed at least two weeks before departure. Our travel vaccine check gives you a first overview, and the travel clinic directory helps you find a practice near you in Germany.