Every year, thousands of college spring breakers choose Cancun, Mexico as their travel destination. It has a reputation of being the typical college place to go. Many of my friends are currently counting down the days until they can ditch their winter jackets for string bikinis. While we all are very familiar with the warning “don’t drink the water in Mexico,” what other risks are there for college students?
For starters, spring break is already associated with a number of health related risks from injuries to sexually transmitted diseases. Regardless of the location, excessive drinking is “the norm” which often leads to carless behaviors. The health risks only increase more when traveling to a different country.
The first thing everyone is told is to stay on the resort. Hotels and resorts provide full accommodations so you only have to leave when traveling to and from the airport. Of course, not everyone listens and some often venture into town. I can only imagine how easy it is for locals to spot tourists.
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Also, the CDC has a whole section dedicated to health advisements for Mexico travelers. They suggest seeing a doctor to ensure you are properly vaccinated before visiting. Many get travel vaccines including hepatitis A and typhoid in case they consume contaminated food or water. Malaria is also a concern in Mexcio. Antimalarial medications and bug spray are the easiest way to prevent mosquito bites that could infect you. It is strongly advised to see a doctor when you return if you are not feeling well. It is possible that you were infected in Mexico and are just showing symptoms now.
Traveling to Mexico for spring break is worth it for the warmer weather, but you have to remember you’re in a different country with different health risks.
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