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Yellow Fever Vaccination - Requirements for Africa

Old Nov 6, 2015, 7:02 pm
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Yellow Fever Vaccination for South America or Africa
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Some countries or areas may require proof of vaccination - alternately, a certificate from a physician stating YFV is contraindicated for a patient - to enter YF areas, or in cases where travelers have visited Yellow Fever areas, generally in Africa or South America. "Travelers who arrive in a country with a yellow fever vaccination entry requirement without proof of yellow fever vaccination may be quarantined for up to 6 days, refused entry, or vaccinated on site." ((USCDC)


The US Center's for Disease Control and Prevention (Nov 2015):

Yellow fever vaccine is a live-virus vaccine which has been used for several decades. A single dose protects against disease for 10 years or more. If a person is at continued risk of infection, a booster dose is recommended every 10 years. See this page for caveats, etc.

As well, note:

Vaccine Administration

For all eligible people, a single injection of reconstituted vaccine should be administered subcutaneously. Revaccination has been required by certain countries at 10-year intervals to comply with International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Note: In February 2015, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) approved a new recommendation that a single dose of yellow fever vaccine provides long-lasting protection and is adequate for most travelers. The updated recommendations also identify specific groups of travelers who should receive additional doses and others for whom additional doses may be considered. The official ACIP recommendations were published on June 19, 2015 (see http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6423a5.htm). All current ACIP yellow fever vaccine recommendations can be found on the ACIP website at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/index.html.

Although ACIP no longer recommends booster doses of yellow fever vaccine for most travelers, clinicians and travelers should review the entry requirements for destination countries because changes to the International Health Regulations (IHR) have not yet been fully implemented. In 2014, the World Health Organization adopted the recommendation to remove the 10-year booster dose requirement from the IHR as of June 2016. Once this change is instituted, a completed International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis will be valid for the lifetime of the vaccinee. Some countries have already adopted this change, which is noted under the yellow fever vaccine requirements on each countrys destination page. However, it is uncertain when and if all countries with yellow fever vaccination requirements will adopt this change. (Updated August 26, 2015)
See the CDC Traveler Health page here for much more detailed and important information.

The proof of vaccine must generally be from an authorized vaccination center, and is generally in the form of a "international certificate of vaccination or prophylaxis" standard proof of vaccination.


ICVP Form

Also see the Australia Department of Health page here

Also see the Canada Government page here

Also see the UK NHS "fitfortravel" page here

Updated 6 November 2015
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Yellow Fever Vaccination - Requirements for Africa

Old Jun 18, 2016, 5:06 am
  #211  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
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Landed in JRO on June 5 and was not asked for YF cert. First through (with visas we obtained before departing the US) so we did not see if others were questioned.
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Old Jun 20, 2016, 11:33 am
  #212  
 
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Hi all,

Does anyone have experience with the Travel clinic in JNB?

I will be landing at JNB on August 25th at 3:20Pm and will want to get our Yellow Fever, and perhaps our meningitis vaccines at the travel clinic at the airport. My question is can I count on them being open and to have the vaccine available on demand? Where I live it it VERY expensive and would like to save the money. I'd like to get it before leaving the airport when I land. Is this doable?

Thanks in advance.....
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Old Jun 20, 2016, 11:51 am
  #213  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Originally Posted by chillg8r
Hi all,

Does anyone have experience with the Travel clinic in JNB?

I will be landing at JNB on August 25th at 3:20Pm and will want to get our Yellow Fever, and perhaps our meningitis vaccines at the travel clinic at the airport. My question is can I count on them being open and to have the vaccine available on demand? Where I live it it VERY expensive and would like to save the money. I'd like to get it before leaving the airport when I land. Is this doable?

Thanks in advance.....
Can't answer fully but just so you know, a YF shot is only deemed fully effective after 10 days, so it can be some countries give you a hard time when you enter with a fresh shot.

I can't comment on the specific clinic, but opening hours can be found online. 'travel clinic' is rather western so they should offer reliable service. I got my shot in travel clinic in JNB city which was well organised, though it was by appointment only. Should be around 350 ZAR if i'm not mistaken.
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Old Jun 20, 2016, 12:17 pm
  #214  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Originally Posted by BigWilly
Can't answer fully but just so you know, a YF shot is only deemed fully effective after 10 days, so it can be some countries give you a hard time when you enter with a fresh shot.

I can't comment on the specific clinic, but opening hours can be found online. 'travel clinic' is rather western so they should offer reliable service. I got my shot in travel clinic in JNB city which was well organised, though it was by appointment only. Should be around 350 ZAR if i'm not mistaken.
Thanks for your quick response. We will not be leaving SA for Kenya and Ethiopia for about 17 days so the timing will work as long as we can get the sots upon arrival to JNB.......they are supposed to be open 24 hours and are supposed to be able to supply the vaccine but I am a natural skeptic. Ive sent them a couple of emails and have not received any response.
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Old Jun 21, 2016, 10:08 am
  #215  
 
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Originally Posted by chillg8r
Thanks for your quick response. We will not be leaving SA for Kenya and Ethiopia for about 17 days so the timing will work as long as we can get the sots upon arrival to JNB.......they are supposed to be open 24 hours and are supposed to be able to supply the vaccine but I am a natural skeptic. Ive sent them a couple of emails and have not received any response.
I'm flying out of JNB end of next week for a few days, will see if I can find that clinic and check what is needed from your side or how they are organised.
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Old Jun 21, 2016, 7:46 pm
  #216  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Thumbs up

Originally Posted by BigWilly
I'm flying out of JNB end of next week for a few days, will see if I can find that clinic and check what is needed from your side or how they are organised.
Than you so much, thats very generous of you. I appreciate it. I'll look forward to your report.
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Old Jun 22, 2016, 8:33 pm
  #217  
 
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Originally Posted by Stewie Mac
So I took my 'new' passport with me on this trip, and have left my YF cert behind rubber banded into the 'old' passport - currently in CdI and heading to Ghana tomorrow. If I can get a scanned/printed certificate, will that be good enough? Or am I going to have to get an emergency YF vaccination at Kotoka?

Anyone with experience or thoughts (and I know there are quite a few Ghana hands here, so throw your hats into the ring - I won't hold you to it!)
Misplaced my certificate heading to ABJ. I got a replacement card at LOS Port Health Office without a jab. Card stamped "EXEMPTED FROM VACINATION DUE " to-----Pregnancy
-----Old Age
The Old Age box was marked .
Card was not asked for at ABJ. Flight arrived 4 hours late ( 2.45 am) and officers were more concerned about getting over the graveyard shift.
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Old Jun 28, 2016, 2:25 pm
  #218  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Originally Posted by chillg8r
Than you so much, thats very generous of you. I appreciate it. I'll look forward to your report.
They no longer exist, see http://www.saairports.com/or-tambo-i...airport-clinic

The replacing center is emergency only. So either try to call the mentioned number, or go to one in the city (there are about 4 in joburg): http://www.travelclinic.co.za/live/c...tegory_ID=1109
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Old Jun 28, 2016, 4:17 pm
  #219  
 
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Just updating that we flew business into JRO with visa on May 27 and weren't asked for the certificate. We did get our vaccinations and lucky to do it - missed our connection in AMS and even though we were rebooked a day later on the same routing KLM kept auto rebooking us on an overnight flight through Nairobi which would likely have been an issue.
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Old Jun 29, 2016, 5:00 pm
  #220  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Originally Posted by BigWilly
They no longer exist, see http://www.saairports.com/or-tambo-i...airport-clinic

The replacing center is emergency only. So either try to call the mentioned number, or go to one in the city (there are about 4 in joburg): http://www.travelclinic.co.za/live/c...tegory_ID=1109
Thats really weird because I called them on the telephone a few days ago and they told me they were open 7am-7pm and to come on by!They even told me how much it would cost, 700r.
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Old Jul 3, 2016, 11:17 am
  #221  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
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Originally Posted by chillg8r
Thats really weird because I called them on the telephone a few days ago and they told me they were open 7am-7pm and to come on by!They even told me how much it would cost, 700r.
I just called again and they said they were indeed open????
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Old Jul 28, 2016, 1:13 pm
  #222  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,069
Originally Posted by B747-437B
The vaccination is valid for lifetime, but the certificate is only good for 10 years. You should be able to take an expired certificate to an appropriate vaccination center and be reissued a new certificate for another 10 years on payment of the appropriate fee.
TravelComments.com has a note yesterday (27 July 2016) that the WHO has made certificates lifetime. See, https://umhambi.blogspot.com There's an embed of a PDF of the "announcement" but I can never really work those into FT. Sorry.
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Old Sep 1, 2016, 9:51 am
  #223  
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I got my shot and certificate in Thailand before heading out to Africa. 1100THB at the Red Cross, great deal.

It turns out (3 weeks ago) it was not needed at all at:
Kigali Airport
Land crossing into Uganda
Land crossing into Kenya
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Old May 22, 2018, 4:38 pm
  #224  
 
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Myself and mrs fly_yag have an upcoming SPU-FCO-ADD-SEZ trip on OU/ET with a 4 hour connection connection in ADD which is considered an endemic country. Ive got a yellow fever cert but mrs fly_yag does not. Weve tried to get her one here in YYC but with the current global shortage all of the travel clinics weve talked to have declined since they consider her low risk. I understand that the official policy is that transits of <12 hours are permitted without the vaccine but wanted to get an opinion on whether we should expect to have problems at check-in in SPU where presumably the agents dont deal with such requirements frequently.
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Old May 23, 2018, 5:10 am
  #225  
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I recently flew into EBB for the first time in a long time and yellow fever certificates are mandatory now. I flew NBO-EBB, but I read that all pax flying into EBB must present the certificate.
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