Good medical care can be found in all major cities, and many U.S. prescription drugs are available over the counter. Most major hotels have a doctor on call who can treat everything from venereal diseases to broken bones. Health facilities in Mexico City are excellent, and are generally quite good in the major tourist and expat cities, including Cancon, Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Merida, Manzanillo and Guadalajara. Care in more remote areas is limited.
In some places, particularly at resorts, medical costs can be as high as or higher than in the United States. If your health insurance policy does not cover you in Mexico, it is strongly recommended that you purchase a policy that does. There are short-term health policies designed specifically to cover travel.
Immunizations are recommended against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, typhoid, and hepatitis A. For visitors coming directly from the United States, no vaccinations are required to enter Mexico. If you are traveling from an area known to be infected with yellow fever, a vaccination certificate is required. Malaria is found in some rural areas of Mexico, particularly those near the southwest coast. Travelers to malarial areas should consult their physician or the U.S. Public Health Service and take the recommended dosage of chloroquine. Although chloroquine is not considered necessary for travelers to the major resort areas on the Pacific and Gulf coasts, travelers to those areas should use insect repellent and take other personal protection measures to reduce contact with mosquitoes, particularly from dusk to dawn when malaria transmission is most likely.
Montezuma's revenge is as sure as hangovers from cheap tequila. Drink only bottled water or water that has been boiled for 20 minutes. Avoid ice cubes. A good rule of thumb is, if you can't peel it or cook it, don't eat it. If symptoms of diarrhea present themselves and persist, seek medical attention, because diarrhea is potentially dangerous. Air pollution in Mexico City is severe. It is most dangerous during thermal inversions, which occur most frequently from December to May. Air pollution plus Mexico City's high altitude are a particular health risk for the elderly and persons with high blood pressure, anemia, or respiratory or cardiac problems.
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