Cessnadriver

Doing a 24 hour punta cana layover next week and got the malaria endemic popup on icrew.

Do people bother getting preventive meds for this layover or is it not much of an issue if you dont leave the resort.

It would be nice to be outside for a drink or 2 in the evening but I would rather not take meds if the risk is low.

BigHitterLlama

I went this time last year and didn’t take anything. I brought some deep woods bug spray but didn’t really even see any mosquitos so the wife and I didn’t even use that. Good layover, enjoy.

dc10guy

Vacation many of times never used it. Leaving tomorrow for punta cana for a week not worried.

iaflyer

The layover if I remember was by the beach. So not as many mosquitoes as you would get inland at a hotel. I laid over at Punta Cana a few and was never worried about it.

Jaxs170

Brugal and Presidente are highly effective preventative measures on a a PUJ layover.

BigHitterLlama

It’s science.

atpcliff

I lived in Africa for 1.5 years.

I believe that ALL the malarial meds you need to take starting two weeks prior, plus some time after, you are in the malarial area. There is NO malarial med that covers ALL the (5?) types of malaria that humans can get. MOST mosquitoes do not carry any of the types of malaria that humans can get.
The biggest problem with malaria, is that if you get it but then do nothing. Also, if you are taking malarial meds, and then get malaria, the blood tests cannot tell if you have malaria, so, if you have malaria symptoms, you are forced to get the malaria prevention/eradication drugs regardless.

In your case, if it were me, I would not take any malarial meds.
BUT: If you have ANY malaria symptoms from after your trip, IMMEDIATELY go to a doctor and INSIST that they do a blood test for malaria. If you have it, and get treated right away, you will probably have no problems. The big problem is when you come back to the US from a malarial area, and get sick. The doctors in the US never think to give you a malaria test. If you have a serious case, and it goes untreated for an extended period, it can be REALLY bad!

I would only take malarial drugs if I was going on a short holiday (like 1 week-6 week or so holiday) to a malarial area. Short trips, I don't think it is worth taking them the two weeks prior, plus the time after. The side effects from ANY malarial drugs are serious, and you WILL get them if you take the drugs long term.

Note: ALL 50 states, INCLUDING Alaska, used to have malaria. The US did a great eradication program, and got rid of it nationwide. With Global Warming accelerating, we may to have be aware that malaria could come back...

Jaww

badflaps

I tested positive for Malaria in Chicago in Feb. one year. They wanted to know whether I worked in underground sanitation. Don't worry about it near the beach, the hot sand hurts the little Anopheles' feet.

GogglesPisano

Nice post.

I remember seeing French families (including children) at the pool on DKR layovers when I worked for “The other Delta,” and wondering, “Are they really pumping their kids full of malerone?” (And then wondering why they’re bringing their kids to a MED vacation.)