Just a couple hours ago, Costa Rican health officials were able to confirm the first case of swine flu in Central America. The patient is a 21 year old woman who had been traveling in Mexico and flew back to Costa Rica recently. Her identity and location are not being published, but the Minister of Health, Maria Luisa Avila, assured the press that the girl was responding well to her treatment—in fact no antiviral medications were even considered necessary. The Ministry of Health is contacting all other passengers on the flight on which the patient was traveling to have them all examined.

Just as in most other countries in the world, Costa Rica is taking precautions to prevent widespread infection of the swine flu. Airlines are offering passengers on all flights to and from Mexico facemasks to protect them from possible infection. The Ministry of Health is placing alcohol gel dispensers in all its medical centers for public use. Also, the Minister of Health is encouraging people in Costa Rica to avoid hand-shaking and kissing, as well as large conglomerations. Following the example set by the World Health Organization (WHO), local officials are dismissing the idea of closing borders or restricting travel.

The WHO is coordinating internationally to be prepared for a possible pandemic. Although the pandemic risk has been raised to 4, this does not mean that a pandemic is inevitable. The WHO is not recommending a general restriction on travel, but officials do have some simple advice for travelers: If you feel sick, do not travel. If after a recent trip you detect symptoms of the swine flu, contact your doctor immediately for treatment. The WHO also recommends the continued use of seasonal flu vaccinations.

Meanwhile, the CDC is making some basic recommendations to help avoid infection. First, wash your hands frequently; also, use a disposable tissue to cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing and throw it away immediately after. The CDC also recommends avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. It is also recommended that you not go to work or school if you feel sick. The final recommendation by the CDC is that people maintain their general health by exercise, a well-balanced diet, getting sufficient rest, and managing stress. These recommendations are valid in the US, Canada, and the UK as well as any where you may travel.

The administration of VIDA is not canceling its volunteer trips planned in Central America this summer and would like to remind any worried participants or parents that there are more confirmed cases in the US, Canada, and the UK than in Central America. Nonetheless, we will be monitoring the situation closely and would take all necessary precautions. We will be keeping our volunteers updated through our Blog and Facebook group.

We are a health organization, and we would not put our volunteers at risk of infection. We will stay informed up to our upcoming May trips and throughout the summer. For our veterinary trips, we will avoid working with pigs, just as a special precaution, and of course we will always maintain our usually precautions while working with all animals. For our medical and dental trips, we will be stocking extra alcohol gel and masks for volunteer use. We also work with some of the finest doctors in Central America, and if any volunteer were to become sick, know that we will take excellent care of that person. As for future participants, if you become sick, please take the necessary precautions and let us know if anything comes up. Remember that you can move your trip to another date, with some fees associated as explained in our Payment & Cancellation policy. Also, to avoid the expense of having to cancel or modify travel, as always, we recommend purchasing travel insurance at World Nomads.

If you or your family has any questions about this situation or any other, please don’t hesitate in contacting us at info@vidavolunteertravel.org. We will be happy to answer your questions or clear up any doubts.

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