Expert: Drew Wilmoth - 6/16/2009

Question
Drew,
I will be traveling to the Grand Cayman Islands next week for my brothers wedding. My entire immediate family will be traveling and I have been reading information about vaccinations and such. I read on several sites that a Hep A vaccine is recommended 2 weeks prior, minimum to travel, we do not have that amount of time. I also noted that medications such as Cipro or Levaquin and Lomotiol were recommended in the event of diarrehea, in more severe cases. ( as I needed in previous trip to Mexico)In Mexico, we were able to purchase these items at resort or pharmacy without a prescription and I would like to know the policy in the islands.  We are unable to get in the see out PCP before we leave, vacation season, and I just wanted to know if medication could be purchased without seeing a physician or if I had to pay a new patient fee for family to take medication with us. Thanks for any advice, as a mother taking a 6 and 4 year old out of the country, I would like to be prepared! (yes, I know I should have done sooner)

Answer
Shell,

The United States Centers for Disease Control does indeed make various vaccination recommendations for travel to the Cayman Islands. Upon further reading, these recommendations are based upon recommendations for the entire Caribbean region and are not specific to the Cayman Islands.

The United States CIA World Factbook succinctly summarizes what makes Cayman different from so many other Caribbean islands - "The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the world."

Grand Cayman in particular is a developed island with good quality public infrastructure. Public tap water is from a system of desalination plants which produce water by reverse osmosis. The water is cleaner than that of most major United States cities. Water borne diseases such as cryptosporidium or cholera are simply not a concern in Cayman. Tap water and ice are safe to consume.

From time to time travellers do fall ill on vacation. The Cayman Islands have a well developed system of medical care. Pharmacies and modern supermarkets are well stocked with all variety of over the counter medications with familiar brands from the United States and Europe. Prescription drugs would be similar to those in the United States, so Cipro, Levaquin, or Lomotil would be available by prescription and would be readily available at local pharmacies.

There are many physicians in private practice as well as those at government run district health clinics. Some district health centers are open for only limited hours each week due to small populations which are served in the more rural eastern districts. Medical care is always available at one of two hospitals in George Town, or the hospital in Cayman Brac. Physicians are trained to US or UK standards. Only the most serious of medical cases are transported to Miami or elsewhere for further medical care.

The CDC website does list Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Typhoid vaccinations as recommended in addition to routine vaccinations for travel throughout the Caribbean. The recommendations for Cayman are actually less than the list for developed countries such as South Korea. In fact they recommend the Hepatitis B vaccine for travel within the United States and all of Western Europe. Quite simply, these recommendations are from an overabundance of caution. These conditions are exceedingly uncommon in Cayman.

Finally, Cayman has an active mosquito control program. This sharply reduces the mosquito population. Related mosquito borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, or yellow fever are not endemic to Cayman.