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Yellow fever vaccine
In researching vaccine requirements it seems that CDC recommends Yellow fever vaccine but coming from US Tanzania does not require it. I am unclear about Kenya because they say the Masai Mara game reserve has increased risk. Then there is statement that if you are over 60 there is increased risk of severe rxn to the vaccine. I am curious what those who are over 60 have done regarding vaccination especially Yellow fever. Is it required in Kenya, if you did not get it do you need an exemption letter?
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We did the Kenya Tanzania classic safari in 2018. We didn’t get the yellow fever vaccine based on age. We had a medical waiver from a certified yellow fever vaccine provider. He filled out the section on the yellow vaccine card, stamped it and wrote a letter on official letterhead. We didn’t have any problems. At that time the risk of yellow fever where the tour was going in Kenya was very low. There were several other couples on our tour that didn’t have the vaccine. I’m sure it all depends on who is processing you into Kenya. This was a decision we made upon consulting our doctor who was also a certified travel doctor.
We are way over 60 so we got a medical waiver through Costco. We received a yellow book with the waiver in it and a letter, signed by a doctor, giving the reasons for the waiver. The company who did it (through Costco) said they've never had a waiver refused.
We went in 2022 (originally scheduled for 2020), and we received YF in 2020–we weee in our late 60s. We had no reaction at all to the immunization. See what your physician recommends.
Our travel doctor said the same thing. Had never heard of an official travel exemption being refused. By that he meant filled out and stamped by a certified yellow fever provider with an exemption letter explaining the reason for the exemption
I’ve read different answers to this question. How long is the yellow fever vaccine accepted? I’ve read some that say it’s good forever and others that say it is only good for ten years?
I just had a very good friend come back from Kenya in a private tour. She and her husband did not get any vaccines at all. There are more mosquitos where we live than in Kenya (according to her)! I don’t know that to say; just sharing.
We have been to East and South Africa four times, and our yellow fever vax record was checked two of those times. It is best to be prepared with the vax documentation or a waiver. I don’t think we will do the malaria pills again. That did not work out well the last time. Everyone except the twenty year olds stopped taking them by tour end.
The CDC says that one shot is good for life. https://www.cdc.gov/yellowfever/vaccine/index.html
I had the Yellow Fever vaccine before I was sent to Vietnam but I no longer have my shot record from that time. So I got a waiver.
Yup. I had the yellow fever shot before Vietnam but tossed the shot record thinking nothing could be valid anymore. So I spent a lot of money getting another one. Oops.
We just went yesterday for shots for upcoming India in March. All we needed was tetanus and typhoid. The travel nurse told us that Yellow Fever vaccines used to be 10 years, but now are considered for life. I had one in 2001, and a second in 2011, both prior to African safari. From my experience, the YF is looked for upon entering certain countries AFTER being in a YF area. They are protecting their countries, not the travelers.
We had YF in 2020 . My husband was 77 and I was 74. No issues. How ever ,if I didn’t have the vaccine I would definitely get a waver. You don’t know what might occur after you leave home and I wouldn’t want to be be given the shot there after I arrived in order to continue the trip.
Got the vaccine years ago. Have been asked once for the vaccine record. Only one shot for life required. This was changed in most countries some years ago. For the exemption letter, you need a new one for each trip. You could still be refused entry if you got a grumpy border control guard or there is an outbreak. The incidence of vaccine reaction is minuscule The doctors are just protecting themselves.
I don't quite remember the specifics (and too lazy to look it up again), but the reaction to the YF shot is not random nor based on age (maybe age affects severity?), but it is based on the type of vaccine used (live culture, culture grown in egg or some other media, etc.?)
Your doctor should know if you are likely to have a reaction to the vaccine. Also, I suspect only a small number of people who have a reaction, will have a serious one. We were well over 60 when we got our shots.
When I went to K&T in 2019, upon landing at the airport, we were required to show our YF certificate prior to entry into the terminal. The couple ahead on my in-line did not have a certificate and were taken out out of line. Not sure what happened or even if they had waivers. I would try to comply with entry requirements. I would rather not reply on the checkers at the airport to accept/reject a waiver. I too had the vaccine without any complications or reaction.
I had the YF back in 2012, no reaction at all, was asked for vaccination record when I arrived in Tanzania.
I imagine there are not many adverse reactions to the Yellow Fever vaccine, but there must be some or the CDC would not have recommended that it not be administered to people over 60. I suppose it's sort of like Russian Roulette. The odds are highly in your favor, but the consequences of having an adverse reaction might be serious.
To quote Dirty Harry, "You have to ask yourself this question, 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?"
It doesn’t say not for people over 60, but should be based on your medical history. I can’t check this, I’m in Africa right now. Vaccine should be personal choice after talking with your Dr
Mike H. PM me and I’ll explain how the. CDC and FDA work
Here are the facts. My first google
Yellow fever vaccine associated neurological disease (YEL-AND) is a condition affecting the brain and nervous system, causing symptoms such as confusion and problems with movement and co-ordination. The risk of YEL-AND is estimated as follows: over 60 years of age = 2.2 cases per 100,000 doses of vaccine administered.
Why is yellow fever vaccine not recommended?
In rare cases, yellow fever vaccine can have serious and sometimes fatal side effects. People older than 60 years and people with weakened immune systems might be at higher risk of developing these side effects.
I'm fairly certain that you can send me a PM, if you wish, without me sending one to you first.
Just to supplement what British shared, when we got our yellow fever vaccine, our travel medicine physician had told us that any side effects they have seen from the vaccine were in people over 60. It sounds like they did not see those side effects in those under 60. So I think that’s the reason for the contraindication at that specific age range. But I don’t think it means it’s totally off limits. I guess people can weigh the risk-benefit ratio with their physician.
I should probably qualify my post above by saying any of the more serious side effects from the YF vaccine were seen in those 60+.