Travel health · Dominican Republic
A week at an all-inclusive is the most common Calgary trip to this island — and Punta Cana sits in one of the five provinces CDC names for malaria, which is not what most people expect.
The short version
Most travellers to Dominican Republic need 4 vaccines, and four to six weeks is enough time to do it properly.
Leaving sooner? Most of it can still be done — we prioritise what matters for your route. Nobody gets turned away for booking late.
Recommended for essentially everyone going to Dominican Republic.
Food and water, and the two sources agree without qualification. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers aged one year and over going to the Dominican Republic; the Government of Canada recommends it for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present. An all-inclusive buffet does not change the answer.
Any time before you fly. One dose covers the trip; a second, six months later, covers decades.
This is the part of the trip most people get wrong, in both directions. CDC recommends antimalarial medication for travellers going to certain areas of the country, and names Azua, Elias Piña, La Altagracia, San Juan and Santo Domingo — adding, in its own brackets, "including resort areas". La Altagracia is the province Punta Cana and Bávaro are in. For everywhere else CDC says no preventive medication is recommended.
Bring the name of the resort or the town, not just "the Dominican". The answer genuinely turns on it.
Blood and bodily fluids, including unplanned medical or dental care. The Government of Canada recommends it for all travellers; CDC for unvaccinated travellers younger than 60. It carries a little more weight here because the same Canadian source says good health care is only available in major cities and that quality varies greatly across the country.
The standard course runs over months. Faster schedules exist — bring your dates.
Tetanus, measles-mumps-rubella, polio, chickenpox. CDC asks every traveller to be current before every trip, and asks all international travellers to be fully vaccinated against measles with the MMR vaccine.
Tetanus if it has been more than ten years — which for most adults it has.
The honest answer to “am I too late?” depends on the date. Put yours in and we’ll work backwards. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Worth a conversation — the answer changes with where you’re going and what you’ll be doing.
The full list for Dominican Republic. Most people need the first two or three; the rest depend on where you are going and for how long.
Spread through contaminated food and water. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers aged one year and over going to the Dominican Republic; the Government of Canada recommends vaccination for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present. The Canadian advice on food and water is the same point from the other direction: boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it.
Spread through blood and bodily fluids — unplanned medical or dental care, tattoos, piercings, an accident. The Government of Canada recommends it for all travellers; CDC for unvaccinated travellers younger than 60. Worth weighing alongside the Canadian note that good health care is only available in major cities and that quality varies greatly across the country.
CDC asks travellers to be up to date on all routine vaccines before every trip, and says all international travellers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the MMR vaccine. Tetanus is the one that lapses quietly — and a coral scrape, a scooter graze or a cut on a rock is the usual reason it comes up.
CDC recommends it for most travellers to the Dominican Republic, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas. The Government of Canada does not raise typhoid for this destination at all. That is a real gap between the two and we would rather show it than average it away: for a week inside a Punta Cana resort our pharmacist often lands nearer the Canadian silence, and for a family visit inland or a longer independent trip, nearer CDC.
CDC advises all eligible travellers to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. The Government of Canada describes vaccination as one of the most important ways to protect yourself from developing serious complications.
The two sources differ in emphasis. The Government of Canada says rabies is common in this destination and advises talking to a health care professional about vaccination before you travel. CDC is milder — dogs infected with rabies are sometimes found there, and it is also present in some terrestrial wildlife — but adds a detail that matters more than the wording: if an exposure happens, rabies vaccines may only be available in larger suburban or urban medical facilities. For a resort week it rarely comes up. For anyone working with animals, cycling, caving, or staying somewhere remote, it can.
The Government of Canada says there is a risk of chikungunya in this country, that a vaccine for its prevention is approved in Canada, and that in some cases the joint pain can be severe and last for months or years. CDC does not list chikungunya on its Dominican Republic page. Another honest gap. For most travellers mosquito precautions carry this one; the vaccine is a conversation for longer stays or for people with reasons to be cautious.
Not needed for the destination itself. CDC says the vaccine is not recommended; the Government of Canada says there is no risk of yellow fever in this country and that vaccination is not recommended. The one exception is an entry rule rather than a health one — the Government of Canada notes proof of vaccination is required if you are arriving from some states in Brazil, including travellers who have transited more than 12 hours through an airport in those same states. Coming from Calgary, this does not apply to you. If the Dominican Republic is one leg of a longer trip, bring the whole itinerary.
The two sources genuinely disagree, so here is both. CDC states there is no longer active cholera transmission in the Dominican Republic and that the vaccine is not recommended. The Government of Canada says cholera is a risk in parts of the country but that most travellers are at very low risk. We would not routinely vaccinate a resort traveller on that evidence, and we will say so rather than sell you a dose — but if you are working in health care, in relief work, or staying somewhere with poor sanitation, bring it up.
Honest about the risks, and specific about what prevents each one.
The Government of Canada states that coastal waters can be dangerous, that tidal changes and strong winds can cause dangerous riptides, that lifeguard and rescue services do not always meet Canadian standards, that many beaches have limited or no lifeguards on duty, and that several drownings occur every year.
Prevention Check whether the beach has a flag system and whether anyone is actually watching it. Swim where other people are. Do not let a strong pool swimmer, adult or child, treat the ocean as the same activity — and if you are caught in a rip, swim across it rather than against it.
CDC recommends preventive medication for travellers going to certain areas, naming Azua, Elias Piña, La Altagracia, San Juan and Santo Domingo — including resort areas — plus the La Ciénaga and Los Tres Brazos areas of Santo Domingo city. It recommends none for the rest of the country. The Government of Canada says only that there is a risk in certain areas or at certain times of year.
Prevention Bring your resort name and dates to the consultation. Whatever we decide about tablets, the mosquito precautions stay: repellent, covered arms and legs after dark, air conditioning or screens at night.
CDC lists dengue as spread by mosquito bite and advises avoiding bug bites. The Government of Canada says dengue is a risk to travellers in this country and that there is no vaccine or medication available in Canada to prevent it.
Prevention A repellent containing 20% or more DEET, as CDC specifies, reapplied through the day. The mosquitoes that carry dengue bite in daylight, so evening-only precautions miss them.
CDC lists Zika as spread by mosquito bite and notes an infected pregnant woman can spread it to her unborn baby. The Government of Canada says Zika virus is a risk in this country and can cause serious birth defects.
Prevention If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, this belongs in the conversation before you book rather than after. Otherwise the same daytime mosquito precautions.
The Government of Canada names both. Chikungunya joint pain can be severe and last for months or years. For Oropouche it says there is no vaccine and no medication that protects against it. CDC does not list either for this destination.
Prevention Repellent is the whole strategy for Oropouche. It is carried by biting midges rather than mosquitoes, which is why ordinary netting can miss it — fine mesh or air conditioning works better.
The Government of Canada says road safety varies considerably across the country, that accidents occur frequently, that drivers do not always respect traffic laws and often speed and can be aggressive and reckless, that drinking and driving is common, and that pedestrians do not have the right of way even at traffic lights. CDC names motor vehicle crashes the number one killer of healthy travellers abroad.
Prevention Use the resort transfer or a booked taxi rather than an informal ride. Assume a green light does not mean a car will stop. Scooters and quad bikes are how most holiday injuries here begin.
The Government of Canada gives the plain rule: boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it. CDC advises avoiding contaminated water and soil.
Prevention Bottled water including for brushing teeth if you are outside a resort, ice you would trust, food served hot. Rehydration salts weigh nothing and we can discuss a standby antibiotic where it is appropriate.
CDC advises against swimming in freshwater in developing areas or where sanitation is poor, and names leptospirosis, schistosomiasis and melioidosis among freshwater and soil exposures. The Government of Canada adds that water can look clean and still be contaminated, and advises avoiding getting freshwater in your eyes, mouth or nose.
Prevention This one is for the river tour and waterfall excursion crowd, not the pool. Keep cuts covered, dry off properly, and mention any river swimming to us if you feel unwell afterwards.
The Government of Canada says good health care is only available in major cities and that quality varies greatly across the country, that medical facilities may require payment up front, and that private hospitals and doctors may also require payment in advance.
Prevention Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, with the policy number saved offline and a copy left with someone at home. Carry a written list of your medications — a Spanish copy is better.
The Government of Canada advises exercising a high degree of caution in the Dominican Republic due to crime. It notes crime including violent crime occurs across the country and especially in major cities, that petty crime such as pickpocketing and bag-snatching occurs frequently with tourists a common target, and that drive-by robberies by thieves on motorcycles, scooters or bicycles are common.
Prevention Not a pharmacy question, but it affects what you carry. Keep medication and documents in the room safe rather than a beach bag, and take a photograph of everything important.
Prevented with tablets rather than a vaccine, and only needed for some routes — which is why the answer depends on your itinerary.
CDC puts the risk primarily in the provinces of Azua, Elias Piña, La Altagracia, San Juan and Santo Domingo — and specifically adds "including resort areas". It also names the La Ciénaga and Los Tres Brazos areas within the city of Santo Domingo. La Altagracia is the province that contains Punta Cana, Bávaro, Uvero Alto and Cap Cana, which is why this page treats malaria as a live question rather than a footnote. For all other areas of the country CDC recommends no preventive medication. The Government of Canada does not name provinces at all — it says there is a risk in certain areas and at certain times of year, and that medication may be recommended depending on your itinerary and when you travel.
CDC records the species as P. falciparum at 100% and drug resistance as none, which is an unusually favourable combination. It lists atovaquone-proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine and tafenoquine as options for the higher-risk provinces. Chloroquine has been lost to resistance in most of the malarial world, so having it available here widens the choice — useful when cost, sun sensitivity or an interaction rules something else out. Whether you need any of it depends on where you are staying and for how long, and that is what the appointment is for.
The things that prevent most travel illness are not medical.
Almost everyone arrives at this page assuming that an all-inclusive resort week is a no-malaria question. On this island it is not that simple. CDC puts malaria risk primarily in the provinces of Azua, Elias Piña, La Altagracia, San Juan and Santo Domingo — and it specifically adds "including resort areas", which is not language it uses casually. La Altagracia is the province that contains Punta Cana, Bávaro, Uvero Alto and Cap Cana. It also names the La Ciénaga and Los Tres Brazos areas within the city of Santo Domingo. For all other areas of the country, CDC recommends no preventive medication at all — so Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Cabarete and the Samaná peninsula do not appear on that list. None of this means every Punta Cana traveller ends up on tablets. It means the conversation is a real one rather than a formality, and that the answer depends on where you are actually staying, how long, and how much time you spend outdoors after dark. Bring the resort name.
We would rather show you this than smooth it over. CDC is granular: named provinces, a species breakdown of P. falciparum at 100%, drug resistance recorded as none, and a list of five medications it considers suitable. The Government of Canada is deliberately general — it says there is a risk of malaria in certain areas and at certain times of year, and that antimalarial medication may be recommended depending on your itinerary and the time of year you travel. It does not name a single province. So one source hands you a map and the other hands you a question. In practice our pharmacist reads both: the CDC province list tells us where to look hardest, and the Canadian wording is a fair reminder that risk is not the same in January as in the wet months, and that a week behind glass in an air-conditioned resort is not the same trip as two weeks visiting family inland.
If you are going to a resort for a week, this is more likely to matter to you than anything else on this page. The Government of Canada states plainly that coastal waters can be dangerous, that tidal changes and strong winds can cause dangerous riptides, that lifeguard and rescue services do not always meet Canadian standards, that many beaches have limited or no lifeguards on duty, and that several drownings occur every year. That is a lot of specific language for one paragraph, and it is worth reading twice if you are travelling with children or with anyone who is a confident pool swimmer but not an ocean one. Ask at the desk which flag system the beach uses and whether anyone is watching it. A calm-looking Caribbean bay and a safe one are not the same thing.
A small technical point with a practical consequence. CDC records drug resistance in the Dominican Republic as none, and the species as P. falciparum at 100%. That gives an unusually wide choice of preventive medication — atovaquone-proguanil, chloroquine, doxycycline, mefloquine and tafenoquine are all listed. Most malarial destinations have lost chloroquine to resistance, so travellers who have been told elsewhere that it is obsolete are sometimes surprised. The practical upshot is that if one option does not suit you — cost, a sun-sensitivity worry with doxycycline, an interaction with something you already take — there is usually another that does. That is worth an appointment rather than a guess.
The Government of Canada warns that Canadian citizens have had serious health complications following cosmetic or other elective surgeries abroad, and that legal options in the case of malpractice are very limited. It also notes medical facilities may require payment up front, and that private hospitals and doctors may also require payment in advance. We raise it because a meaningful number of Canadians travel to this country specifically for a procedure, and because that trip has a different risk profile from a beach week — including a much stronger case for hepatitis B, and for insurance that will actually cover you. If that is your trip, say so at the consultation. We will not lecture you about it, but we will plan for it honestly.
Most people booking a travel consult with us are sorting out a household, not just themselves. A few things are different for children.
Bring the whole household to the same consultation. We review each person’s records separately but plan the trip as one, which usually means fewer visits and no repeated explanations. Tell us how many people when you book so we set aside the time.
CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers aged one year and over. Infants aged 6 to 11 months can have a travel dose, which does not count towards the routine schedule and is repeated later.
The Government of Canada notes many beaches have limited or no lifeguards and that several drownings occur every year. Children who are strong in a Calgary pool are not automatically safe in surf. Decide before you unpack who is watching the water and when — resort pools and the beach are two different jobs.
The mosquitoes that carry dengue and Zika bite during the day, which is exactly when children are in and out of the pool and out of their clothes. CDC advises a repellent containing 20% or more DEET. Bring more than you think you need.
The Government of Canada says rabies is common in this destination and advises discussing vaccination before travel. Small children approach dogs, are less likely to mention a scratch, and are more often bitten on the face or hands. CDC adds that if an exposure happens, rabies vaccines may only be available in larger suburban or urban medical facilities — worth knowing if you are staying somewhere remote.
Any immunisation records you can find, for each traveller. Alberta records we can often look up; out-of-province and overseas records we cannot. A photo of a yellow card is plenty.
It is a real question rather than an automatic no, which surprises most people. CDC lists La Altagracia — the province Punta Cana and Bávaro sit in — among the areas where it recommends preventive medication, and it specifically says "including resort areas". The Government of Canada is more general, saying only that risk depends on your itinerary and the time of year. So the honest answer is that it depends on where exactly you are staying, how long, and how much time you spend outside after dark. Bring the resort name to the appointment and we will work through it properly. Plenty of people leave without tablets, and that is a decision rather than an oversight.
For most people the short list is hepatitis A, hepatitis B if you are not already covered, and your routine vaccines brought up to date — particularly tetanus and measles. Typhoid is worth discussing. Yellow fever is not needed. Everything else on this page depends on what you are doing beyond the resort. We are not going to add items to make the list look thorough.
CDC names five provinces where it recommends preventive medication — Azua, Elias Piña, La Altagracia, San Juan and Santo Domingo — plus two areas within Santo Domingo city. For all other areas it recommends none. That means Puerto Plata, Sosúa, Cabarete and the Samaná peninsula do not appear on its list. It is worth saying that "no medication recommended" is not the same sentence as "no mosquitoes", so the repellent advice still stands wherever you are.
Not coming from Canada. Both sources say there is no yellow fever risk in the Dominican Republic and that vaccination is not recommended for the destination. The only requirement the Government of Canada notes is for travellers arriving from certain states in Brazil, including anyone who has transited more than 12 hours through an airport in those states. If this is one stop on a longer trip, bring the whole route and we will check it.
Treat it as you would anywhere with the same advice. The Government of Canada gives the plain rule — boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it. Most resorts provide bottled water and most people are fine, but hepatitis A vaccination exists precisely because the vaccine does not need to know where you ate. Bring rehydration salts; they weigh nothing and they are the thing you will actually want at 2am.
The Government of Canada is unusually specific about this, which is why it is high on our page rather than buried. It says coastal waters can be dangerous, that tidal changes and strong winds cause dangerous riptides, that lifeguard and rescue services do not always meet Canadian standards, that many beaches have limited or no lifeguards, and that several drownings occur every year. None of that means do not swim. It means ask about the flags, swim where others are, and watch children in the water rather than from a chair.
Yes, and it is worth saying out loud at the appointment. The Government of Canada warns that Canadians have had serious health complications following cosmetic and other elective surgery abroad and that legal options in the case of malpractice are very limited. It also notes facilities may require payment in advance. Practically, it strengthens the case for hepatitis B vaccination, it makes your insurance wording matter a great deal, and it changes what you should carry home with you. We will plan it with you without judgement.
Nothing. The travel consultation is free — a full itinerary review, every recommended vaccine discussed, and advice for your particular trip. You pay only for the vaccines actually given. You do not need a doctor’s referral in Alberta; book directly with us.
Bring your travel dates. A pharmacist will go through what you need for Dominican Republic, give what can be given that day, and book anything that needs a second dose. No doctor referral, no wait list.
Written from current CDC and Government of Canada guidance, checked 31 July 2026. Advice for your particular trip comes from our pharmacist, in person.
Imagine Health Pharmacy & Travel Clinic — #4120, 15 Sunpark Plaza SE, Calgary, Alberta. In Sunpark Plaza, off Macleod Trail, serving Sundance, Midnapore, Shawnessy, Chaparral and the rest of south Calgary.
No doctor’s referral is needed. In Alberta a pharmacist can assess you, prescribe what your trip needs and give the vaccines in the same visit — so for most travellers this is one appointment, not a clinic queue and then a pharmacy.
The vaccine guidance on this page follows the official recommendations below, read and applied by a pharmacist. Where the two differ we say so rather than pick one.
Checked against both sources on 31 July 2026. Official advice changes — if your trip is months away, check again or ask us.
