Health

High standard medical care is widely available in Monaco. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas may face extreme difficulties.

In general, no special immunizations or medications are necessary for travel to Monaco. All travelers should however be up-to-date on routine immunizations, including Tetanus-Diphtheria, Measles-Mumps-Rubella, Polio, and Varicella (Chicken-pox).

The following are recommended vaccinations for Monaco:

Hepatitis A

This vaccine is recommended for all travelers over age 2. It should be given at least 2 weeks (preferably 4 weeks or more) before departure. A booster should be given 6-12 months later to give long-term immunity. Travelers who are less than 2 years old, are pregnant, or have less than 2 weeks before departure should receive a single intramuscular dose of gammaglobulin instead of vaccine.

Hepatitis B

This vaccine is recommended for travelers who will have intimate contact with local residents or potentially need blood transfusions or injections while abroad, especially if visiting for more than 6 months. It is also recommended for all health care personnel.

Typhoid

This vaccine is recommended for all travelers, with the exception of short-term visitors who restrict their meals to major restaurants and hotels, such as business travelers.

It is generally given in an oral form consisting of 4 capsules taken on alternate days until completed. The alternative is an injectable polysaccharide vaccine, given as a single dose. The oral vaccine is approved for travelers at least 6 years old, whereas the injectable vaccine is approved for those over age 2. There are no data concerning the safety of typhoid vaccine during pregnancy. The injectable vaccine is probably preferable to the oral vaccine in pregnant and immuno compromised travelers.

Rabies

This vaccine is recommended only for those at high risk for animal bites, such as veterinarians and animal handlers, and for long-term travelers who may have contact with animals and may not have access to medical care. Any animal bite or scratch should be thoroughly cleaned with large amounts of soap and water and local health authorities should be contacted immediately for possible post-exposure treatment, whether or not the person has been immunized against rabies.

Influenza

This vaccine is recommended for all travelers during flu season, which runs from November through April. Influenza vaccine should not be given to pregnant women during the first trimester or those allergic to eggs.

Travelers' Diarrhea

Travelers' diarrhea, the number one illness in travelers, can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites, which can contaminate food or water. Infections may cause diarrhea and vomiting (E. coli, Salmonella, cholera, and parasites), fever (typhoid fever and toxoplasmosis), or liver damage (hepatitis). Make sure your food and drinking water are safe.

Lyme disease

Lyme disease is transmitted by deer ticks, which are only 1-2 mm long. Most cases occur in the late spring and summer. The first symptom is usually an expanding red rash that is often pale in the centre, known as a bull's eye rash.

However, in many cases, no rash is observed. Flu-like symptoms are common, including fever, headache, joint pains, body aches and malaise. When the infection is treated promptly with an appropriate antibiotic, the cure rate is high. Luckily, since the tick must be attached for 36 hours or more to transmit Lyme disease, most cases can be prevented by performing a thorough tick check after being outdoors.

Tick-borne encephalitis

This vaccine may be considered for long-term travelers who expect to be visiting rural or forested areas in the spring or summer and for those who consume unpasteurized dairy products. Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral infection of the central nervous system and the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis has risen sharply since the late 1990s, notably at altitudes between 700 and 1100 m, due to a rise in the tick population at these elevations. Tick precautions are strongly advised.

Food and Water

It is not advisable to drink tap water unless it has been boiled, filtered or chemically disinfected. Also it is better to not drink unbottled beverages or drinks with ice and not eat fruits or vegetables unless they have been peeled or cooked. Avoid cooked foods that are no longer very hot. Cooked foods that have been left at room temperature are particularly hazardous. Avoid unpasteurized milk and any products that might have been made from unpasteurized milk, such as ice cream. Avoid food and beverages obtained from street vendors. Do not eat raw or undercooked meat or fish. Some types of fish may contain poisonous biotoxins even when cooked. Barracuda in particular should never be eaten. Other fish that may contain toxins include red snapper, grouper, amberjack, and sea bass.