Fredd

Another geezer couple and we are disembarking from a transatlantic cruise in Rio de Janeiro this December and planning to fly GIG-PTY on Copa to stay for a couple of days before flying home. Copa’s website states that travelers over 60 are exempt from the requirement to show proof of yellow fever vaccination on that route.

So far I can’t find any official confirmation of this despite several hours hunched over my keyboard. The most recent FT discussion here is some months old and makes no mention of exemptions.

Having read along the way one or two horror stories of passengers being turned back, or stranded within a country over the vaccination issue, I’m wondering if anybody can point me toward official word on this from the Panamanian government.

SanDiego1K

I am intrigued by your question so spent some minutes poking at it. I can't find any over 60 exception. This website was updated this month and is consistent with what I read on other websites.

https://www.iamat.org/country/panama/risk/yellow-fever

However, if you have ever had yellow fever vaccination and can show evidence of it, it is now considered lifetime protection.

Fredd

Thanks, Carol! I did run across that but I'm likewise intrigued by the age exemption that I've found in a few odd places in addition to the Copa website here. No, none of us have had yellow fever vaccinations.

I've also read a number of sources from various countries advising of the small but significant risks of the substitute French vaccine (the US-approved vaccine is currently unavailable) to those over 60. Given that we're overnighting on the ship in Rio, then flying out the next day, our exposure will be limited and our preference is to avoid it.

I've sent email queries both to the US Embassy in Panama City, and the Panamanian Embassy in Washington DC. If I get any definitive answer, I'll report back.


Cheers,
Brian

Fredd

It took most of a week, even with the miracle named email.

Condor wrote back via Facebook Messenger that over 60s could enter without a vaccination. The US Embassy in Panama replied with an article about yellow fever written in Spanish that didn't answer my question.

The Panamanian Embassy in Washington DC sent me three replies that were somewhat contradictory. I will take the third reply received minutes ago as definitive, print it, and carry it along with my vaccination exemption certificate: