Paraguayan fans planning to attend the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, or Canada should pay attention to the health recommendations from the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPBS). The ministry released a list of priority vaccines to prevent the importation of diseases and ensure traveler protection.
The director of the Expanded Immunization Program (PAI), Luis Cousirat, emphasized that the measles vaccine is the most recommended, although it is not mandatory for entry into the host countries. “It is not a mandatory, mandatory vaccine. It is a recommended vaccine for travelers, especially for those born after 1936,” he said.
Cousirat explained that because it is a live attenuated virus vaccine, the body needs time to generate an immune response. “If a dose is missing, you can get vaccinated at least two weeks before the trip, because it is a live virus vaccine, like the yellow fever vaccine, so the body needs two weeks to generate that immune barrier,” he said.
Another essential immunization is the influenza vaccine, due to the high concentration of people in enclosed spaces during the event, which increases the risk of respiratory virus transmission. The flu vaccine is available free of charge at all vaccination posts in the country and does not require a waiting period before the flight – it can be administered hours before boarding.
For those seeking maximum protection, the PAI confirmed that in the first week of June, a batch of 100,000 updated Covid-19 vaccines produced by Moderna will arrive in Paraguay. The vaccine is not currently required, but may be requested in some situations. Unlike the measles vaccine, the Covid-19 vaccine does not require a two-week lead time – it can be taken on the same day as the flight.
Cousirat also clarified that Paraguayan travelers do not need to worry about the yellow fever vaccine, as the World Cup destinations do not have vector circulation nor are they Amazonian or forested regions that require such coverage.
Finally, the PAI director recommended that those who still have their childhood vaccination card, even if old or worn, present it at any health post so that the data can be transcribed into the electronic system. This allows downloading the official certificate in digital format through the Paraguay Portal, using the electronic ID.