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Travel health · Panama

Panamatravel vaccines & health advice · from Calgary

The canal, the old city, Bocas del Toro and the cloud forest at Boquete. Which side of the canal you end up on changes the vaccine list — genuinely, not as a figure of speech.

The short version

Most travellers to Panama need 3 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.

What you’ll need

Recommended for essentially everyone going to Panama.

  1. Hepatitis A

    Food and water. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers one year old or older going to Panama, and the Government of Canada recommends vaccination for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

    Any time before you fly. One dose covers the trip; a second, six months later, covers decades.

  2. Typhoid

    Also food and water. CDC recommends it for most travellers to Panama, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas. The Government of Canada’s Panama page does not mention typhoid at all — a real difference between the two sources, and one we show rather than average.

    At least two weeks ahead. There is an injection, and there are oral capsules you finish over a week.

  3. Routine vaccines, brought up to date

    Tetanus, measles-mumps-rubella, polio, diphtheria, chickenpox. CDC asks every traveller to be current before every trip and asks all international travellers to be fully vaccinated against measles. Tetanus is the one that has usually lapsed.

    Tetanus if it has been more than ten years — which for most adults it has.

When do you leave?

The honest answer to “am I too late?” depends on the date. Put yours in and we’ll work backwards. Nothing is sent anywhere.

Depends on your trip

Worth a conversation — the answer changes with where you’re going and what you’ll be doing.

  • Yellow feverrecommended east of the Canal Zone — and specifically NOT for Panama City, the Canal Zone, the Pearl Islands or San Blas
  • Malaria tabletsfor several provinces including Bocas del Toro and Chiriquí — but none for the Canal Zone or Panama City
  • Hepatitis BCDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers under 60; the Government of Canada recommends it for all travellers
  • Rabiesa narrower question here — CDC says rabid dogs are not commonly found in Panama, though rabies is present in bats
  • OropouchePanama is the only one of these five with an Oropouche notice from CDC and a listing from Canada — and it is midges, not mosquitoes

Every vaccine, and whether you need it

The full list for Panama. Most people need the first two or three; the rest depend on where you are going and for how long.

Yellow feverDepends on your trip

The headline vaccine for Panama, and only for part of it — which is why it sits under “depends on your trip” rather than under “almost everyone”. CDC recommends it for all travellers aged nine months and older going to mainland areas east of the Canal Zone, including Darién Province, the comarcas of Emberá and Kuna Yala, and the areas of Colón and Panamá provinces east of the Canal Zone. It says the vaccine is not recommended for travel limited to the Canal Zone, areas west of the Canal Zone, Panama City, the Balboa district (Pearl Islands) of Panamá Province, or the San Blas Islands of Kuna Yala. The Government of Canada says there is a risk of yellow fever in Panama and that vaccination is recommended depending on your itinerary, and asks travellers to contact a designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre well in advance. Separately, proof of vaccination is required for anyone arriving from a country where yellow fever occurs, from one year of age. The certificate becomes valid ten days after the dose, which is why this is the appointment to book first.

Hepatitis AAlmost everyone

Spread through contaminated food and water. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers one year old or older going to Panama, and adds that infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated, with that dose not counting towards the routine two-dose series. The Government of Canada recommends vaccination for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

TyphoidAlmost everyone

Also food and water. CDC recommends it for most travellers to Panama, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas. The Government of Canada’s Panama page does not mention typhoid — a real gap between the two, which we would rather show you than resolve quietly. Available as an injection or as oral capsules taken over a week.

Routine vaccines (Tdap, MMR, polio, varicella)Almost everyone

CDC asks travellers to be up to date on all routine vaccines before every trip, and asks all international travellers to be fully vaccinated against measles with MMR, including an early dose for infants aged 6 to 11 months. The Government of Canada asks the same. Tetanus is the one people have let lapse.

Hepatitis BUsually recommended

Spread through blood and body fluids, including unplanned medical or dental care, tattooing and piercing. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers younger than 60 travelling to Panama, and says unvaccinated travellers 60 and older may get vaccinated. The Government of Canada recommends hepatitis B vaccination for all travellers, to every destination. Many Canadians already have it from the school programme, so we check the record.

COVID-19Usually recommended

CDC says all eligible travellers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, and the Government of Canada asks you to discuss it with a healthcare provider before travelling. Easy to do on the same visit if you are due.

RabiesDepends on your trip

A narrower question in Panama than next door. CDC says dogs infected with rabies are not commonly found in Panama but that rabies is present in bats, and frames pre-exposure vaccination around whether your activities raise the chance of animal contact and whether you could get prompt post-exposure treatment. The Government of Canada says rabies may be present in some wildlife in Panama including bats, and — unlike its pages for the four neighbouring countries, which list children, adventure travellers and cave explorers among those at higher risk — it narrows the advice here to vaccination possibly being recommended if you will be working directly with wildlife. So on both sources this is a narrow conversation in Panama: wildlife work, caving, and long remote stays. What does not narrow is what to do after a bite or scratch from any animal, bats included — wash it with soap and clean water for about fifteen minutes and get medical care as soon as possible.

ChikungunyaDepends on your trip

CDC says all travellers should take steps to prevent mosquito bites and that chikungunya vaccination is generally not recommended for Panama. The Government of Canada says there is a risk of chikungunya in the country, varying by season, year, region and elevation, and notes a vaccine is approved in Canada which you should weigh against your age and itinerary. A conversation, not a default.

What to actually watch out for

Honest about the risks, and specific about what prevents each one.

Oropouche

CDC currently posts an Oropouche travel health notice covering Panama, noting areas in several countries are reporting a low number of cases and that it is spread primarily through the bites of infected midges — small flies — and mosquitoes. The Government of Canada lists Oropouche virus disease as a risk in Panama, describes the midge as a no-see-um, lists fever, headache, joint and muscle pain and chills among the symptoms with aseptic meningitis in some cases, says most travellers are at low risk, and flags concern about transmission from a pregnant person to their unborn baby.

Prevention There is no vaccine and no preventive medication. Repellent on exposed skin, and a sealed or air-conditioned room with fine-mesh screens rather than relying on a standard net. If you are pregnant or planning to be, discuss it with us before you book — the Government of Canada says a healthcare provider may advise avoiding non-essential travel to an area with an outbreak.

Dengue

Named by both sources. The Government of Canada notes the mosquitoes that carry it typically bite in the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset, that the level of risk varies with season, year, region and elevation, and that dengue can become severe and be fatal.

Prevention No vaccine or medication to prevent it is available in Canada. Repellent through the day, reapplied — including in Panama City, where malaria is not a risk but dengue is.

Zika

A risk in Panama according to both sources. Spread by mosquito bite, also sexually transmitted, and it can cause serious birth defects.

Prevention Bite avoidance, plus condoms or avoiding sexual contact, particularly in pregnancy. If you are pregnant or planning to be, the Government of Canada asks you to discuss the trip with a healthcare provider first and says you may choose to postpone. With Oropouche also on the list here, that conversation is worth having before anything is booked.

Chagas disease and leishmaniasis

Both are on CDC’s Panama list, and both on Canada’s. Chagas comes from triatomine bugs, which the Government of Canada notes are active at night; cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis come from sand fly bites, most active between sunset and sunrise in rural and forested areas. Canada says the risk of each is generally low for most travellers.

Prevention Bite avoidance after dark, and a net if you are sleeping in poorly constructed or unscreened rural housing. There is no vaccine for either.

Leptospirosis and melioidosis

Both appear on CDC’s Panama list. Leptospirosis comes from water, mud or food contaminated with animal urine, including swimming or wading in fresh water and contact with floodwater; melioidosis from contact with contaminated fresh water, mud or soil, especially after heavy rain. Panama’s rainy season runs April to December and the Government of Canada says seasonal flooding can make roads impassable and damage bridges.

Prevention Avoid floodwater and muddy water after heavy rain, cover cuts and grazes before entering fresh water, and do not swallow river water. Bandage open wounds before contact with soil or water.

Hantavirus and tuberculosis

Both on CDC’s risk list for Panama — hantavirus from the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents, tuberculosis through the air from someone infectious. Neither changes what a typical trip needs, but the whole list belongs on the page rather than the convenient half of it.

Prevention Avoid rodents and places their waste builds up; avoid close contact with people who are unwell.

The sea, and diving

The Government of Canada says lifeguards do not usually supervise beaches, that tidal changes can cause powerful currents, that riptides are common and several drownings occur each year, and that rescue services may not be consistent with international standards. On diving specifically it says tour operators may not adhere to international standards, and asks you to choose a well-established and insured company and to check that your travel insurance covers the activity.

Prevention Ask locally which water is safe to swim and stay inside marked areas. Book diving with an established operator, and check that your policy names diving and medical evacuation before you pay for the course.

Food and water

The reason two of the vaccines on this page are the ones they are. The Government of Canada’s rule is boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it, and it asks you not to swallow water when swimming, showering or bathing. Travellers’ diarrhoea is the most common illness travellers get anywhere.

Prevention Bottled or treated water, ice only from safe water, hot food served hot, fruit you peel yourself. Rehydration sachets in the bag — fluids are the treatment.

Roads

The Government of Canada says road conditions and road safety are poor throughout Panama, that drivers often drive dangerously, and that night construction on the Pan-American Highway is frequent and the highway is not well lit. It advises keeping windows closed and doors locked and being prepared for roadblocks. CDC names motor vehicle crashes among the main causes of death for travellers abroad.

Prevention No night driving on the Pan-American Highway if you can avoid it. Registered yellow taxis from a stand are described as generally safe; agree the fare first, because they are not metered.

Malaria in Panama

Prevented with tablets rather than a vaccine, and only needed for some routes — which is why the answer depends on your itinerary.

Where the risk is

CDC names transmission in the provinces of Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Colón, Darién, Panamá, Panamá Oeste and Veraguas, and in the indigenous comarcas of Emberá, Kuna Yala and Ngäbe-Buglé, with rare cases in other parts of the country. It states there is no malaria transmission in the Canal Zone or in Panama City. Two of those names matter more than the rest for Canadian travellers: Bocas del Toro, and Chiriquí, which is where Boquete is. The Government of Canada says there is a risk of malaria in certain areas or at certain times of year and that antimalarial medication may be recommended depending on your itinerary and the season.

What we would prescribe

Panama is the only country in this Central American set where CDC gives two different drug lists, because it records chloroquine resistance east of the Panama Canal. For Darién, Emberá, Kuna Yala and Panamá provinces it lists atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, primaquine or tafenoquine — chloroquine is not among them. For Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Colón, Ngäbe-Buglé, Panamá Oeste and Veraguas it lists the same drugs plus chloroquine, which still works west of the canal. For all other areas with transmission it recommends no chemoprophylaxis at all — insect bite precautions and mosquito avoidance only. CDC records the species split as roughly 97 per cent Plasmodium vivax and 3 per cent Plasmodium falciparum. Which drug is right for you depends on which side of the canal you sleep on, your dates, your other medicines and whether you are pregnant — and whichever we choose, finish the course after you get home.

Staying well while you’re there

The things that prevent most travel illness are not medical.

Bring to your appointment

  • Your immunisation records, or your Alberta Health card so we can look them up
  • Your route, with the nights marked — east or west of the canal is the question that decides the most
  • Whether Bocas del Toro, Boquete, San Blas or the Darién are on the list
  • Your dates, and how long you are staying
  • Any medications you take, including over-the-counter ones
  • Whether you are pregnant, planning to be, or breastfeeding — Zika and Oropouche both matter here
  • Your full itinerary if Panama is one leg of a longer trip

Pack

  • Your yellow fever certificate, if you have had the vaccine — paper, and a photo of it on your phone
  • Insect repellent with DEET or icaridin — buy it here, it is cheaper and better regulated
  • Malaria tablets in their original packaging, with enough for after you get home
  • A plan for sealed, air-conditioned rooms or fine-mesh screens — Oropouche is carried by no-see-ums
  • Oral rehydration sachets, antiseptic and dressings
  • Insurance details and the insurer’s emergency number, saved offline

While you are there

  • Repellent morning and evening, in the city too — Panama City has no malaria but does have dengue
  • Take malaria tablets on schedule, including every dose after you get home
  • Bottled or treated water; no ice you did not see made
  • Sealed or air-conditioned rooms where you can, for the midges as much as the mosquitoes
  • No night driving on the Pan-American Highway; agree taxi fares in advance
  • Wash any animal bite or scratch for about fifteen minutes and get seen the same day

Worth knowing

The canal is where the answer changes

CDC recommends yellow fever vaccine for all travellers aged nine months and older going to mainland areas east of the Canal Zone — Darién Province, the indigenous comarcas of Emberá and Kuna Yala, and the parts of Colón and Panamá provinces that lie east of the Canal Zone. It then states just as clearly where the vaccine is not recommended: travel limited to the Canal Zone; anywhere west of the Canal Zone; Panama City; the Balboa district, meaning the Pearl Islands, of Panamá Province; and — this one surprises people — the San Blas Islands of Kuna Yala. Malaria splits on the same line but for a different reason: CDC records chloroquine resistance east of the Panama Canal, so the drug list for Darién, Emberá, Kuna Yala and Panamá provinces drops chloroquine, while the list for Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Colón, Ngäbe-Buglé, Panamá Oeste and Veraguas keeps it. And there is no malaria transmission in the Canal Zone or in Panama City at all. This is why we ask which side of the canal your nights are, and not just which country.

A week in Panama City and the canal needs almost nothing extra

It is worth saying the easy version out loud, because the yellow fever paragraph above can make Panama sound complicated. If your trip is Panama City, Casco Viejo, the Miraflores locks, a day in the Canal Zone and a flight home, then on CDC’s own wording yellow fever is not recommended and there is no malaria transmission. What you need is hepatitis A, typhoid, routine vaccines up to date, and good mosquito habits — because dengue, Zika and chikungunya do not respect the canal. The complexity in this page belongs to the Darién, the comarcas, Bocas del Toro and Chiriquí, and if you are not going there it does not belong to you.

Bocas del Toro and Boquete are on the malaria list, and that catches people out

CDC names the transmission provinces as Bocas del Toro, Chiriquí, Colón, Darién, Panamá, Panamá Oeste and Veraguas, plus the comarcas of Emberá, Kuna Yala and Ngäbe-Buglé, with rare cases elsewhere. Bocas del Toro is the archipelago most Canadians picture when they picture Panama, and Boquete — the cloud-forest town people go to for coffee and hiking — is in Chiriquí. Both sit inside the area where CDC recommends taking prescription medicine to prevent malaria, and both are west of the canal, so chloroquine is still on their drug list alongside atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, primaquine and tafenoquine. Whether you end up on tablets depends on how long you are there, where you are sleeping and what else you take — but it is a real question for those two destinations, not a formality.

Panama’s advisory has the widest spread of any country on this site

The Government of Canada’s overall level for Panama is “Take normal security precautions” — the mildest wording it uses, and the only one of these five Central American countries to get it. Inside that, it advises a high degree of caution in Colón Province, the district of San Miguelito, Veracruz City and several corregimientos of Panama City including El Chorrillo, Curundú, Santa Ana and Calidonia. And then it goes to the other end of the scale: avoid all travel to areas south of Metetí in Darién Province down to the Colombian border, because of extremely high levels of violent crime, with reports of sexual assault, kidnappings, armed robberies, murders and disappearances; and avoid all travel to the Mosquito Gulf, from Boca de Río Chiriquí to Coclé del Norte, because of drug smuggling and human trafficking. Reading that alongside CDC’s yellow fever map is instructive: the part of Panama where the vaccine matters most is also the part Canada tells you not to go to. Most travellers going “east of the canal” mean the comarcas or a Darién lodge north of Metetí, not the border itself.

Oropouche is a midge, not a mosquito

Panama is the only country in this Central American group where CDC currently posts an Oropouche travel health notice — noting that areas in several countries are reporting a low number of cases — and the only one where the Government of Canada lists Oropouche virus disease as a risk. It matters because the assumptions people carry about mosquitoes do not quite apply: the Government of Canada says it is spread through the bite of an infected small fly called a midge, also known as a no-see-um, and possibly certain mosquitoes; that symptoms usually include fever, headache, joint and muscle pain and chills, sometimes with nausea and vomiting; and that aseptic meningitis can occur in some cases. It says most travellers are at low risk, but that there are concerns the virus could pass from a pregnant person to their unborn baby, which might lead to stillbirth or problems with the baby’s head and brain development, and that anyone pregnant or planning a pregnancy should discuss it with a healthcare provider, who may advise avoiding non-essential travel to an area with an outbreak. There is no vaccine and no preventive medication. Practically, a no-see-um is called that for a reason, so a sealed or air-conditioned room and a fine-mesh screen earn their keep here in a way a standard net may not.

Rabies is a quieter question here than next door

Worth noting because it is one of the few places these five countries genuinely differ in the reader’s favour. CDC says dogs infected with rabies are not commonly found in Panama, though rabies is present in bats — where for Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Belize it says rabid dogs are sometimes or commonly found. The Government of Canada matches that: rabies may be present in some wildlife in Panama, including bats, rather than the “rabies is common in this destination” wording it uses for the neighbours. That does not make a bite a non-event — it is still a same-day medical problem, and bats are the exposure that people miss because it does not hurt. But it does mean pre-exposure vaccination is a narrower conversation in Panama than it is in Guatemala.

Bringing the family

Most people booking a travel consult with us are sorting out a household, not just themselves. A few things are different for children.

Yellow fever starts at nine months

CDC’s recommendation for eastern Panama is for travellers aged nine months and older, so it can include quite young children if your route calls for it. Nine months is a floor rather than a formality, and there are people for whom this particular vaccine is not the right answer at all — which is exactly the assessment a designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre exists to make. If your route goes east of the canal and someone in the family cannot have it, the honest conversation is about the itinerary rather than the vaccine, and it is one to have early rather than the week before you fly.

One appointment can cover everyone

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.

Hepatitis A starts at twelve months

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 two-dose series and is repeated later. The same applies to measles: CDC asks for an early MMR dose for infants aged 6 to 11 months travelling internationally.

Malaria tablets and children

If Bocas del Toro, Boquete or anywhere else on CDC’s transmission list is in your plan, children may need tablets too, with doses worked out by weight rather than age and a narrower choice than adults have. Bring your children’s current weights, and we will pick something that can actually be swallowed every day of a holiday.

Bring what you have, not what you think we need

Any immunisation records you can find, for each traveller, plus any old yellow fever certificate. Alberta records we can often look up; out-of-province and overseas records we cannot. A photo of a yellow card is plenty.

Common questions

Do I need the yellow fever vaccine for Panama?

It depends which side of the canal you are on. CDC recommends it for all travellers aged nine months and older going to mainland areas east of the Canal Zone, including Darién Province, the comarcas of Emberá and Kuna Yala, and the parts of Colón and Panamá provinces east of the Canal Zone. It specifically says the vaccine is not recommended for travel limited to the Canal Zone, anywhere west of it, Panama City, the Pearl Islands, or the San Blas Islands. The Government of Canada says there is a risk of yellow fever in Panama and that vaccination is recommended depending on your itinerary. Bring the itinerary and we will tell you which of those you are.

I am only going to Panama City and the canal. Do I need it?

On CDC’s wording, no — it states the vaccine is not recommended for travel limited to the Canal Zone or to Panama City, and there is no malaria transmission in either. What you do need is hepatitis A, typhoid and your routine vaccines up to date, plus proper mosquito protection, because dengue, Zika and chikungunya are all present regardless of the canal. That is a genuinely short list, and we will not add to it to make the visit feel worthwhile.

What about the San Blas Islands?

CDC names the San Blas Islands of Kuna Yala among the places where yellow fever vaccine is not recommended, even though the wider comarca of Kuna Yala is on the recommended list. That distinction is easy to miss and it is the reason we ask exactly where you are staying rather than which province you are visiting. If your trip combines San Blas with a mainland leg east of the canal, the mainland leg is what decides it.

Do I need malaria tablets for Bocas del Toro or Boquete?

They are both inside CDC’s transmission area — Bocas del Toro by name, and Boquete is in Chiriquí province. Both are west of the canal, where CDC still lists chloroquine as an option alongside atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, primaquine and tafenoquine, because it records chloroquine resistance only east of the Panama Canal. Whether tablets are right for your trip depends on how long you are staying, where you are sleeping and what else you take. There is no malaria transmission in the Canal Zone or Panama City.

What is Oropouche and should I be worried about it?

Panama is the only country in this group with an Oropouche notice from CDC and a listing from the Government of Canada. It is spread mainly by biting midges — no-see-ums — and possibly some mosquitoes, and causes fever, headache, joint and muscle pain and chills, with aseptic meningitis in some cases. Canada says most travellers are at low risk, but flags concern about transmission from a pregnant person to their unborn baby and asks anyone pregnant or planning a pregnancy to discuss it with a healthcare provider. There is no vaccine and no preventive medication, so the practical answer is a sealed or air-conditioned room with fine-mesh screens, plus repellent on exposed skin.

Is Panama safe to travel to right now?

The Government of Canada’s overall level for Panama is “Take normal security precautions”, which is the mildest wording it uses and the only one of these five Central American countries to get it. Within that it advises a high degree of caution in Colón Province, San Miguelito, Veracruz City and several corregimientos of Panama City, and it advises avoiding all travel to areas south of Metetí in Darién Province down to the Colombian border because of extremely high levels of violent crime, and to the Mosquito Gulf. Read the current version in full on travel.gc.ca before you book, because it changes.

How far ahead should I book my travel appointment?

Four to six weeks is comfortable for Panama, and the reason is yellow fever: the international certificate only becomes valid ten days after the dose, so leaving it to the final week can genuinely cost you a leg of your trip. Hepatitis A works from any lead time and typhoid wants about two weeks. If you are leaving sooner than that, come anyway — we will prioritise what still works for your dates and tell you honestly what will not.

How much does the consultation cost?

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, and for any malaria tablets you decide to take. We tell you the price of each before you agree to it, and some are covered by private plans.

Designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre

We are licensed to give yellow fever vaccine and issue the international certificate, here in Sunpark Plaza — you do not need to find another clinic for it. The certificate becomes valid ten days after the dose, so this is the one to book first. Whether your itinerary actually needs it is the conversation we have at the appointment.

Sort it in one visit

Bring your travel dates. A pharmacist will go through what you need for Panama, give what can be given that day, and book anything that needs a second dose. No doctor referral, no wait list.

Book a travel consult for Panama403-910-3990

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.

Where this comes from

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.

Travelling to Panama?Free consultation · no referral needed
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