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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 Dec 23, 2011, 5:28 pm
  #61  
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Welcome to FlyerTalk!

One thing you will find out - this is such a large and active community it is likely questions have been answered before, so learning how to use Search will advance your cause significantly. This thread: Using the Search Feature on FlyerTalk: The Definitive Thread is a huge tool.


I'd also suggest you can find the proper answer (from medically qualified sources) by using the links in this post <link>.

I hope your time on FlyerTalk will be as enjoyable and rewarding as mine has been.
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Old Dec 23, 2011, 8:35 pm
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Dear moderator,

At the first instance, I had searched the forums, did not get a specific answer to my query.
So i created this post.

Thanks,

Harish
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Old Dec 26, 2011, 10:05 am
  #63  
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From the links provided in the referenced post, it seems like the authorities are likely to allow you passage even if you had the yellow fever stick the same day (or they would have to quarantine you for ten days if you received it on landing).

The issue is that, if you are arriving from a yellow fever area, such as Kenya, you may be asked for proof of vaccination to assure you are not bringing yellow fever into the country. And sometimes, it can be political - "Country A" imposes the requirement on "Country B" in retaliation of "Country B's" import duties on "Country A's" chickens, say.

The WHO, for example, states, in the International travel and health book, viewable or downloadable here:

Code:
KENYA
Yellow fever
Country requirement: a yellow fever vaccination
certificate is required from travellers over 1 year
of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow
fever transmission.

Yellow fever vaccine recommendation: yes
Recommended for all travellers aged 9 months or
over, except as mentioned below.

Generally not recommended1 for travellers whose
itineraries are limited to the following areas:
the entire North Eastern Province; the states of
Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Malindi and Tanariver in the
Coastal Province; and the cities of Nairobi and
Mombasa (Map).

ZAMBIA
Yellow fever
Country requirement: no
Yellow fever vaccine recommendation: in general,
no
Generally not recommended1 for travellers going
to the following areas: the entire North West and
Western provinces

Not recommended in all other areas not listed
above.
For medical advice, I would go farther than FlyerTalk and go to the health authorities. For yellow fever, I always get my stick, every ten years, because I do not like surprises - e.g. arriving at a country with new requirements that may not have been published to the web yet.
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Old Dec 28, 2011, 1:12 pm
  #64  
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Originally Posted by JDiver
Amazing how mosquitoes just don't care how upscale the accommodation is.
True, but upscale lodges go to far greater lengths to make life miserable for mosquitoes. You can expect proper full-size impregnated bednets without holes, rooms that are sprayed daily (and anually with DDT in South Africa), as well as lodge grounds where all pools, puddles and other potential mosquito breeding sites have been drained or poisoned. It is quite possible to spend a week or longer at a game lodge in the rainy season and not encounter a single mosquito. I speak from experience.

Malaria is nothing you should worry about as a game lodge guest. The chances of getting it are extremely low, and if you do anyway it is something that can easily be dealt with. Unless you are very young, old, frail, sick or simply stupid, it is not going to be fatal.

Johan
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Old Jan 1, 2012, 5:13 pm
  #65  
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Not everywhere is as assiduous - the lodge manager at one Kenya upscale highlands lodge died of cerebral malaria, because he thought there could be no problem. There are significant differences in different countries and what is possible, sanitation and even medical competence (why we have the saying in some places "When in pain, take the plane"). He wasn't overly young, old, frail or sickly, so he must have been stupid.

For some destinations (e.g. much of RSA/ZA) I frankly do not use prophylaxis myself - I may carry Malarone to use presumptively if I ever have malarial symptoms. This has worked well for me but I would certanly never make recommendations to others about health-related issues with such import.


Originally Posted by johan rebel
True, but upscale lodges go to far greater lengths to make life miserable for mosquitoes. You can expect proper full-size impregnated bednets without holes, rooms that are sprayed daily (and anually with DDT in South Africa), as well as lodge grounds where all pools, puddles and other potential mosquito breeding sites have been drained or poisoned. It is quite possible to spend a week or longer at a game lodge in the rainy season and not encounter a single mosquito. I speak from experience.

Malaria is nothing you should worry about as a game lodge guest. The chances of getting it are extremely low, and if you do anyway it is something that can easily be dealt with. Unless you are very young, old, frail, sick or simply stupid, it is not going to be fatal.

Johan
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Old Sep 7, 2012, 3:36 am
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Is Yellow Fever Vaccination Required for Transit via ADD?

Hey guys,
If I book a flight on ET that transits via ADD, would I need a YF Vaccination cert?
I read somewhere that it is required even for transit, but not sure how accurate that is?

Thanks for the help. I'm planning on flying to SEZ from BKK if that makes a difference
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Old Sep 7, 2012, 7:17 am
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Ethiopia doesn't care.

Destination requirements may vary. Some countries want it for transit passengers, some don't. Some make it up as they go along.

Always best to carry it with you when traveling in Africa whether required or not. It's the most popular way for dodgy "officials" to shake a few dollars out of inexperienced tourists.
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Old Sep 9, 2012, 12:47 pm
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Thanks for that.

Exactly how I was brought to a dodgy room with a metal toilet in NBO 3 months ago. But I got off by bribing only 10 Euros lol.
Next time I'll just make my own cert. Seems easy enough.
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Old Sep 9, 2012, 4:28 pm
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Normally, for transit this is not required if you don't come out of a risky area and you stay inside the transit area at the airport.
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Old Sep 9, 2012, 10:06 pm
  #70  
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Originally Posted by lsed
If I book a flight on ET that transits via ADD, would I need a YF Vaccination cert?
I read somewhere that it is required even for transit, but not sure how accurate that is?
Transit PAX are exempt:

[KVS Availability Tool 7.0.3/Diamond - TIMATIC: Country Information: Health]
Code:
Ethiopia (ET)

Vaccination against Yellow Fever, if arriving within 6 days
after leaving or transiting countries with risk of yellow
fever transmission [[TIRGL/YFIN]].

 Exempt from Yellow Fever vaccination:
- Children under one year.
- Transit passengers not leaving the airport in Ethiopia. 
- Those not leaving the airport in the countries with risk of
  yellow fever transmission.

 Recommended:
- - Vaccination against Yellow Fever for all other passengers
  over 9 months of age visiting any area outside the main
  cities in Ethiopia; 
  - Malaria prophylaxis. Malaria risk - mainly in the
  malignant (P. falciparum) and benign (P. vivax) form -
  exists throughout the year in the whole country below 2000
  m. No risk in Addis Ababa. P. Falciparum resistance to
  chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported. P. vivax
  resistance to chloroquine reported. Recommended prevention:
  IV .

CHECK [[TINEWS/N1]] - LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC and PARALYMPIC GAMES
- REMINDER OF CHANGES TO ACCEPTANCE OF PIAC FROM 10 SEPTEMBER

10 Sep 2012 / 05:05 [UTC]
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Old Sep 10, 2012, 2:56 pm
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Thanks guys, greatly appreciated
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Old Sep 10, 2012, 3:00 pm
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Wow. Makes you wanna just rush to visit Ethiopia.
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Old Dec 6, 2012, 4:52 am
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Yellow fever certificate entering South Africa

I'm planning to rent a car in JNB and drive up to Victoria Falls (Zambia) through Botswana. Then drive back to SA at JNB airport.
I've just noticed South African authorities may ask for a Yellow fever certificate of vaccination, which I don't have.
And this would mess up my plans.
Is this required also for tourists which have no direct entry Zambia-->S.A., as is my case going to Botswana before?

I would not take any risk to be rejected at land border, or quarantined, hence before changing destination an insider hint is much appreciated.
Thanks.
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Old Dec 6, 2012, 4:54 am
  #74  
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Why don't you just get the vaccination?
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Old Dec 6, 2012, 6:11 am
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It will be a quick break on a last minute booking.
Would love to avoid any bureaucratic prescription of drugs, since the Zambia has a low risk of yellow fever.
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