AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel Drinking Water, Fruits, Hepatitis, Tetanus etc.????

hell, with enough one barrell in your system, thats gonna kill any virus imaginable.

Lobster..I am a nurse, and before going last fall I did check with the health department. I was most concerned because my 73 year old mother was traveling with us. The health department told me that they did recommend the Hepatitis vaccines(which I have had, but my husband did not, and did not take). They said that if you were going to a coastal resort area you did not need malaria pills. Mom's MD, however, did recommend that she take pills for malaria, but she only took a few, had NO problems. We were only there for a week, but we ate everything, even from the street vendors. My husband always has the "revenge" during trips to Mexico, but no problems with AC. Again, do what your physician recommends, or what you think is best for you!

Mary... Thanks for your thoughts... Here's what I am taking away from all these comments... If you feel a need for caution, or if you are vulnerable through age, infirmity or sensitivity to the environment or food/liquid ingestion, you should do what you think makes sense for you... Conversely, if you don't have any bad experiences visiting foreign countries such as Mexico or others similar, then an unprotected week in AC probably doesn't represent a threat. I have seen messages from a few people who had experiences getting sick from food and so it's not without precedent, but it also doesn't seem to be common either. So I have not have had any bad experiences in many parts of Mexico and have not been careful about drinking the water or eating the food, but I did get ptomaine poisoning once from a hamburg eaten at a Los Angeles California fast food restaurant....

Cloe, not to take away from what you said, but the last time I was in SP, I stayed for 3 weeks and brushed my teeth with the water. No problems at all. I haven't eaten from the vendors at the square but lots of others have with no problems. That said, a freind who had been in SP much longer than myself, ate at the vendors'one night and had a little problem for the next few days. She was convinced that it was from her hamburger. It may have been but she was also drinking a lot of the local brews so it could just as easily have been that. :^)

I know Seashell, each person is different, and sometimes we do not know the real cause of the illiness. Even 30 yrs ago I could not use the water and ice when vacationing to Miami Beach Florida. LOL
Having said that, I on future visits, will play it safe, instead of sorry. LOL

If you're the sensitive type, just have your doctor get you a prescription for Cipro. If you have problems you take that, and you're good to go the next day. It's a type of antibiotic. That's what we take with us to Mexico, Belize, the Caribbean. In all our trips, we've only needed it once, but like Chloe says. I'd rather be safe than sorry. It's not very expensive......
Debbie

Debbie..just to add to what you said(and again,folks,check with your MD about this)if you do take the Cipro(an antibiotic that targets gastrointestinal infections)it is usually recommended that you take at least 5 days of the antibiotic. If,(as I think you are saying) you only take one dose, you "boost" your system with an antibiotic, but if you don't take it long enough, the level of antibiotic just crashes,and you may be more suseptible for a reoccurance(or worse!). It's why your MD always says to take all of your prescription,even if you begin to feel better right away. I take Cipro frequently for bouts of Diverticulitis, and it,in itself can cause some stomach upset if not taken on a full stomach. Pepto is also good, but it contains aspirin, so if you have problems with ASA, don't take the Pepto. Immodium is great also if you take it at the first "rumbling". Be safe, and have fun!

Regarding the ice issue, I noticed that a lot of the places (like the palapa's) used bagged ice and kept it in ice chests. Not sure if that made it any better but needless to say in the nine days we were there I never got upset to my stomach once. And personally, I have updated hepatitus shots because I live here in the states, not because I travel.

Please note that many of the hotels are on piped water which is produced by Belize Water. This water is treated through a process call Reverse Osmosis and then chlorinated to insure safety. It surpasses the World Health Organisation standards.

Please check with your hotel and or restaurants to insure that this is your water source.

Well water and other unmonitored/untreated water sources can not be guarenteed

Last time I was in Belize, I didn't bother to buy water at all. It is treated there. It is obviously so in Punta Gorda, not not so distinct in flavor in Placencia or Belize City. Next time I am in the cayes, I will try it there.

Bottled water in Belize is a waste of money if you are only worried about health. I prefer beer in any bottle I drink from down there, thank you very much.

[This message has been edited by ch'eel (edited 05-04-2001).]