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Travel Essentials

Health and Medical: Disease Risks and Prevention

Diseases of concern in the Philippines include malaria, dengue, hepatitis A and B, typhoid, and Japanese encephalitis. Vaccinations can protect you against some of these, listed under Immunizations below. For others, no vaccine exists; protective measures appear under Precautions.

See a Doctor Before You Travel

Visit a travel medicine specialist, or a doctor familiar with travel medicine, at least a month before your trip.

Recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control are below, but appropriate vaccines and medicines depend on many factors that are specific to each person. Inform your doctor:

Where you are traveling within a country
The length of your trip
What types of activities you might do
Other personal matters such as your age, medical and vaccine history, and current medical state

Many hospitals and many county health departments have a Travel Medicine office. A directory of private travel clinics is available at the International Society of Travel Medicine, www.istm.org.

Immunizations

Required: Yellow fever for travelers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present
Recommended
Hepatitis A or immune globulin (IG)	Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in countries with an intermediate or high level of hepatitis A virus infection where exposure might occur through food or water. Cases of travel-related hepatitis A can also occur in travelers to developing countries with "standard" tourist itineraries, accommodations, and food consumption behaviors.
Hepatitis B	Recommended for all unvaccinated persons traveling to or working in countries with intermediate to high levels of endemic HBV transmission (see map), especially those who might be exposed to blood or body fluids, have sexual contact with the local population, or be exposed through medical treatment (e.g., for an accident).
Typhoid	Recommended for all unvaccinated people traveling to or working in Southeast Asia, especially if staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where exposure might occur through food or water.
Rabies	Recommended for travelers spending a lot of time outdoors, especially in rural areas, involved in activities such as bicycling, camping, or hiking. Also recommended for travelers with significant occupational risks (such as veterinarians), for long-term travelers and expatriates living in areas with a significant risk of exposure, and for travelers involved in any activities that might bring them into direct contact with bats, carnivores, and other mammals. Children are considered at higher risk because they tend to play with animals, may receive more severe bites, or may not report bites.
Japanese encephalitis	Recommended if you plan to visit rural farming areas and under special circumstances, such as a known outbreak of Japanese encephalitis.
Routine	Before traveling, update any vaccinations you would normally receive, such as measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, poliovirus vaccine.

COVID-19 Information

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, or cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age.

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the disease and how the virus spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by staying at least 1 meter (3 feet) apart from others, wearing a properly fitted mask, and washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently. Vaccinations also are available from healthcare providers.

The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing, or breathe. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols. It is important to practice respiratory etiquette, for example by coughing into a flexed elbow and staying home to self-isolate if feeling unwell.

Entry and Exit Requirements

Are there COVID-related entry requirements? 

Pre-departure COVID testing is no longer required for fully vaccinated travelers, whether Filipinos or foreign nationals.

Is a negative COVID-19 test required for entry?

For unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers, a laboratory-based rapid antigen negative test result within 24 hours prior to the date and time of departure from the country of origin is required for entry to the Philippines.

Precautions

Malaria
Malaria occurs in rural areas <600 m (<1,969 ft) on islands of Luzon, Palawan, and Mindanao. None in urban areas. If you will be visiting an area of the Philippines with malaria, you will need to discuss with your doctor the best ways for you to avoid getting sick with malaria. Ways to prevent malaria include the following: Taking a prescription antimalarial drug Preventing insect bites (see below) All of the following antimalarial drugs are equal options for preventing malaria in the Philippines: Atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine. Note: Chloroquine is NOT an effective antimalarial drug in the Philippines and should not be taken to prevent malaria in this region.
Dengue, Chikungunya, and Japanese encephalitis
Prevent insect bites by: Using insect repellent (bug spray) with 30–50 percent DEET. Picaridin, available in 7 and 15 percent concentrations, needs more frequent application. There is less information available on how effective picaridin is at protecting against all of the types of mosquitoes that transmit malaria. Wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and a hat outdoors. Remaining indoors in a screened or air-conditioned area during the peak biting period for malaria (dusk and dawn). Sleeping in beds covered by nets treated with permethrin, if not sleeping in an air-conditioned or well-screened room. Spraying rooms with products effective against flying insects, such as those containing pyrethroid.
Tuberculosis
Avoid exposure to known TB patients in crowded environments such as hospitals, prisons, or homeless shelters. Avoid unpasteurized dairy products.
Schistosomiasis
Do not swim in unchlorinated fresh water.
Leptospirosis
Avoid contact with, submersion in, or swallowing potentially contaminated water. Travelers who plan to engage in water activities should consider protective clothing and/or prophylaxis with doxycycline.
Food- and water-borne illness
Observe food safety practices: Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially before eating. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand gel (with at least 60 percent alcohol). Drink only bottled or boiled water, or carbonated (bubbly) drinks in cans or bottles. Avoid tap water, fountain drinks, and ice cubes. If this is not possible, learn how to make water safer to drink. Do not eat food purchased from street vendors. Make sure food is fully cooked. Avoid dairy products unless you know they have been pasteurized.
Fungal and parasitic infections
Keep feet clean and dry, and do not go barefoot, especially on beaches where animals may have defecated.
HIV and other infections
To avoid infections such as HIV and viral hepatitis, do not share needles for tattoos, body piercing, or injections. To reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases always use latex condoms.

Pack a Travel Health Kit

A travel health kit serves three purposes: to manage any pre-existing conditions, prevent illnesses related to traveling, and take care of minor health matters.

When packing medications for travel, remember the following considerations.

Original containers: All medications should be carried in their original containers with clear labels, so the contents are easily identified. Although many travelers like placing medications into small containers or packing them in the daily-dose containers, officials at ports of entry may require proper identification of medications.
Prescriptions: Travelers should carry copies of all prescriptions, including their generic names.
Physician notes: For controlled substances and injectable medications, travelers are advised to carry a note from the prescribing physician on letterhead stationery.
Restricted medications: Travelers should be aware that certain medications are not permitted in certain countries. If there is a question about these restrictions, particularly with controlled substances, travelers are recommended to contact the embassy or consulate of the destination country.
Availability: A travel health kit is useful only when it is available. It should be carried with the traveler at all times (e.g., in a carry-on bag). Due to airline security rules, sharp objects and some liquids and gels must remain in checked luggage.

Sources: World Health Organization; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Note: World Trade Press is not in the healthcare business and accepts no liability for statements on this page.