Yellow Fever Vaccination?

DAB2

I was on this trip 3 years ago. There was no mention or question about vaccinations. Only paying the visa fee with mint-fresh bills with no pin holes :-) I think it's only required if you're in areas of the country where Yellow Fever is endemic. Lima and the higher altitudes are not those areas. Certainly the policy could have changed, so you should check with an official source and not this forum.

MCD

I took this trip last year. At that time, because of the areas that the tour visited, the vaccine was not required; however, I decided to get it anyway. I figured it couldn't hurt and I might need it for future travels. That said, I agree with BKMD that you should check an official source for current policy.

AlanS

sebarat wrote:

We just heard that even though we will not be traveling in yellow fever areas of Peru, Bolivia requires proof of yellow fever vaccination because we are coming from a country that has yellow fever. Has that been your experience with this trip? That vaccine is hard to get these days, but we will find it if necessary. We don't want to get stuck at the border. Thank you.

I think this points out what many of us have said in many previous threads- (1) Don't rely on what you read on forums and bulletin boards, see a travel doc who can evaluate your medical condition versus any effects of the serum, (2) get the shots unless you have contra-indications, someday you may want to travel to an area that absolutely requires them (3) don't trust that a particular country won't change its policy with little or no notice, and (4) don't trust that boarder officials will follow that policy. You don't want to be denied entry and have your trip (of a lifetime?) ruined or be forced to get a shot at a local clinic, both of which are extremely possible.

C130

AlanS has some excellent points!

I found a lot of confusing and conflicting information, including my travel clinic which said I did not need the vaccine. After reading the CDC info on Peru and Bolivia very carefully, given the places the tour travels to, a YFV vaccination is not recommended, and not required.

HOWEVER, if you enter Bolivia from Peru you ARE REQUIRED to have a YFV vaccination document. This is to protect Bolivia, not you, and it has nothing to do with where you were or where you are going.

To verify this I spoke to the source - the Bolivian consulate in Texas. He said that when you come from Peru, you MUST have the vaccination. I questioned him as to what if we don't go to areas where it is a problem. He said flatly, "our people do not have time to verify where you were, so one is required".

The CDC also says that the booster shot after 10 years is no longer required and that this was communicated to Bolivia. However, not every official in the country may know this.

I'm getting the shot.