Many travelers come to our office for pre-travel visits, asking for Yellow Fever immunization. What is Yellow Fever, and who needs a Yellow Fever vaccine? For simplicity, we will provide you with the most up-to-date information on Yellow Fever from CDC (center for disease control and prevention)and WHO(world health organization) websites.
What is Yellow Fever?
Yellow fever, an acute hemorrhagic disease caused by an arbovirus of the genus Flavivirus, is transmitted by mosquitoes in Africa and Central and South America. The risk for travelers getting yellow fever is very low; however, the case-fatality ratio (CFR) is approximately 60% in unvaccinated travelers. People who do get sick will start having symptoms (e.g., fever, chills, headache, backache, and muscle aches) 3–6 days after they are infected. About 12% of people with symptoms develop serious illnesses: jaundice, bleeding, shock, organ failure, and sometimes death.
How does yellow fever spread?
Yellow fever virus is spread by mosquitoes.
Yellow Fever Vaccine: Requirements and Recommendations
Some countries recommend the Yellow Fever vaccine, while others require proof of Yellow Fever immunization before entering. Countries do this as a public health measure to keep travelers from importing the virus. Proof of vaccination requirements may apply to some or all arriving travelers. Plan to get the vaccine at least 10 days before your travel since proof of vaccination is not valid until 10 days after getting the vaccine. This is the time needed to develop immunity to the yellow fever virus.
List of African countries that require Yellow Fever vaccination certificate for all travelers older that 9 months or 1 year: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameron, Central African Republic, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Niger, Togo.
List of African Countries that requires vaccination for travelers from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission or transit for 12 hours in those countries: Algeria, Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Lesotho, Libya, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Yellow Fever Vaccine: Getting Vaccinated
Khaitov Medical PLLC is a certified Yellow Fever site. If recommended Yellow Fever vaccine will be administered on the day of your consultation. A single dose of the yellow fever vaccine protects most people for life, but a booster dose after 10 years may be recommended for some travelers. In rare cases, the yellow fever vaccine can have severe and sometimes fatal side effects. People older than 60 and people with weakened immune systems might be at higher risk of developing these side effects. Also, there are concerns for the babies of pregnant and nursing women who receive the yellow fever vaccines.
Prior to administering Yellow Fever vaccine, we review each traveler’s case individually and provide the patient’s specific recommendations based on the traveler’s age, comorbidities, and the most current epidemiologic situation at the traveler’s destination.
Am I protected from Yellow Fever immediately following a vaccination?
In general, it takes 10 to 14 days from the date of vaccination for a person to develop immunity to the yellow fever virus. Additional personal protection measures from mosquitoes are critically important during this 10–14-day period in yellow fever endemic areas. These include wearing protective clothing, sleeping under insecticide-treated bed nets even during the day, and using recommended repellents. The vaccination certificate for yellow fever is valid for 10 days after administering the vaccine to recipients.
Yellow Fever Vaccine: Proof of Vaccination
On your vaccination day, we provide you with The International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis ICVP, sometimes called the “yellow card.” It is your proof that you have been vaccinated against yellow fever. Along with your passport, present the original signed and stamped ICVP (not a photocopy or screenshot) to immigration officials in all countries requiring proof of vaccination
