Yellow Fever vaccine
Are you required to show proof of Yellow Fever vaccination in Tanzania or Kenya? I was vaccinated in 2007 but no longer have my record.
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Are you required to show proof of Yellow Fever vaccination in Tanzania or Kenya? I was vaccinated in 2007 but no longer have my record.
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This is one of those topics that has been beaten to death. The chances of being asked to show proof are fairly low, but people on some departures have had to do so. Luckily for them they all had yellow fever entries. The bottom line, do you want to take the chance of being denied entry because you don't have a yellow fever shot entry in your shot card? If you search for "yellow fever shot" (see search block in upper right) you'll see tons of threads and posts on this topic and can read what others have said.
Paul, can you remember where you got your shot and have access to them to see if they have records? If they do, then there should be no reason why they cannot provide you with a new card. If not, then you are going to have to get another shot just in case you are asked for proof. I have been asked for proof in Africa. This is a shame since one shot is now considered enough for life and the shot is expensive and hard to come by. But at least if you get a second you know you are going to be fine without it. Always keep you vaccination card with your passport.
Paul, I obviously don't know where you live. There are many counties in Florida that have access to a state database that somehow has every vaccination my wife and I have had. This assumes the doctors put them into the system. You may want to check with your doc or local health department to see if they have this system and then you could get a replacement yellow vaccination card.
Taxare is correct. In Florida there is a state data base and places like Passport Health can give you a printout showing what vaccines you have had over the years. Also, perhaps you can check with your health insurance company, they may have a record.
No one on our Aug 10th T & K was asked to provide their proof of vaccinations. Matter of fact, TD told us to keep it separate from our passports and not to OFFER it unless asked. So, although we had it available, we did not need to show it.
Better to be safe than not be allowed into country.
If you are over 60 you do not need to get the vaccine, but you do need to have a waiver to that effect from your doctor.
I dispute what you say.Sherry in the fact that if an official asks about the proof, they may decide if you have not had the vaccine they will not let you in. Someone already posted that a couple in front of them were refused entry. And although these days outbreaks of YF are rare, if there is one where you have come from or where you are going, they certainly won’t let you in, even if you have an exemption letter.
From the NHS website.
Side effects of the yellow fever vaccine
The yellow fever vaccine can cause some side effects, but the risk of not being vaccinated usually outweighs the risk of having side effects.
After having the vaccine, up to 1 in every 3 people gets:
a headache
muscle pain
a mild fever
soreness at the injection site
These side effects usually pass within 2 weeks.
There are also some more serious but very rare side effects that can occur, including an allergic reaction and problems affecting the brain or organs.
These occur less than 10 times for every million doses of vaccine given.
Get medical advice if you feel very unwell within a few days or weeks of having the yellow fever vaccine.
The person posted that the couple in front of them was refused entry because they didn't have the yellow fever vaccination AND they didn't have a waiver. All countries are supposed to accept the waiver as long as it's an official waiver on the yellow card and stamped by an official yellow fever clinic. The risk of serious side effects increases with age and with any medical conditions you may have. I wouldn't go without having one or the other. Of course, there's always the possibility that an official may not accept the waiver.
I doubt that people over 60 do not need the yellow fever vaccine if you get a note from your doctor. Do you have a reference to go to to verify that.
There is an exception to the requirement for the vaccine, if your doctor indicates that you should not be given the vaccine due to various health issues, but this is quite rare
It cannot be just a note from your doctor. You need the yellow fever card filled out and stamped. Age is not a reason alone for a waiver. You need a medical condition that makes it risky for you to get the vaccination. Since the yellow fever vaccination is a live vaccination, any medical condition that might compromise your immune systems is a reason for an exemption. We consulted a travel doctor at a certified yellow fever clinic.In addition to any history of cancer, he included certain heart, lung, liver, and kidney conditions in his reasons for exemption.You need the stamped yellow card and a note from the travel doctor on official letterhead explaining the medical condition that requires an exemption.
From the CDC site: Is yellow fever vaccine recommended for people 60 years and older who will be traveling to areas with risk for yellow fever?
People aged ≥60 years may be at increased risk for serious adverse events (serious disease or, very rarely, death) following vaccination, compared with younger persons. This is particularly true if they are receiving their first yellow fever vaccination. Travelers aged ≥60 years should discuss with their healthcare provider the risks and benefits of the vaccine given their travel plans.
To be clear, I have been an advocate of getting the vaccine on these boards. We are both past age 60 and had the vaccine and fortunately had very minor side effects.
Interestingly, when we went from Zambia into Botswana last year, the immigration people broke our group up based on age 60 and over and those under. The group under 60 went to a separate building and were asked to provide proof of vaccination. Those of us over 60 were not.
Spin the wheel and take your chance?
My husband and I were 67 when we had the YF vaccine last spring. We were uncertain about whether we’d need it when going from Peru into Ecuador. Since we have plans to go to Africa in 2020, we decided to forego the waiver and get vaccinated to be safe. Although the side effect warnings are scary, the actual incidence of serious side effects are pretty rare, therefore we decided to take the chance. Fortunately, we had no side effects at all.
Yup, it is like the side-effect warnings for most drugs- If one person has a side-effect (I'm not sure how this is validated) then the manufacturer must list it. The end results are that the listed side-effects for many drugs run the gamut from mild annoyance to death!!
Have you ever listed to the warnings and disclaimers for drugs on TV commercials?