Have Questions?

Yellow Fever Shots

Yellow fever shots are a "Required" vaccination for travel to certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America. If you plans for international travel will take you to an endemic region where outbreaks of yellow fever routinely occur, you and the members of your party will need a yellow fever certificate for entry into that country. Yellow fever shots are a live virus vaccine and a single dose confers immunity up to 10 years or more. For persons living, working or studying in regions of the world where the risk of yellow fever infection, a booster shot should be administered every 10 years. The vaccine is considered to be safe for adults and children over 9 months of age. The yellow fever vaccine can only be administered at designated yellow fever vaccination centers such as the CareSpot Clinics.< /p>

The yellow fever vaccine generally has few side effects. About one-fifth of those who take yellow fever shots develop mild headache, muscle pain or other minor symptoms within about five to ten days after vaccination. More severe reactions to the vaccine have been reported but are extremely rare. If you have health concerns, discuss those with your travel doctor and he or she will help you determine your best options for vaccination. Each CareSpot Clinic is a registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Center. For international travelers that do not have a CareSpot Clinic nearby, you can contact the CDC at dqyellowfever@cdc.gov for a prompt email response to your inquiry.

Should I Get A Yellow Fever Shot?

If you are traveling or living in areas of South America or Africa where yellow fever is endemic or where yellow fever outbreaks are officially reported, you should be vaccinated unless you fall into one of the special groups discussed below. While yellow fever is a very rare cause of illness for travelers in today's world, many countries have enacted regulations that help prevent the disease from being transported across borders. In most instances, travel to and through these countries will require a yellow fever certificate of vaccination for admissions. Sometimes, countries will restrict travelers to certain quarantine areas of an international airport when your flight originated in an endemic region. Healthcare personnel who might be exposed to virulent yellow fever virus or to concentrated preparations of the 17D vaccine strain by direct or indirect contact or by aerosols should also be vaccinated.

Who Should Not Receive Yellow Fever Vaccine?

There are four groups listed below who should not receive the vaccine unless a qualified travel doctor determines that the risk of yellow fever disease exceeds the risk associated with yellow fever shots:

  1. Infants Under 6 Months Of Age
  2. Pregnant Women
  3. Persons Allergic To Eggs
  4. Persons With Altered Immune Systems

If you or a member of your travel party fall into one these groups, your travel doctor will be able to help you decide whether you should be vaccinated, delay your trip or obtain a yellow fever medical waiver. Only a qualified doctor can weigh the risks of exposure and contracting the disease against the risks of immunization, and consider alternative means of protection.

Yellow Fever Medical Waivers

If you and your travel doctor determine that you should not receive yellow fever shots, most countries will accept a medical waiver for persons with a valid medical reason for not receiving the yellow fever vaccination. A yellow fever medical waiver should bear the stamp of an official yellow fever vaccination center to validate the International Certificate of Vaccination. To be certain of admissions into a foreign country that requires certification, you should also obtain a written waiver from the foreign country's consular or embassy before your departure. Typically, a letter from a qualified travel doctor stating the reason for withholding the vaccination and written on letterhead stationery will be required by the embassy or foreign consulate.

Ready To Get Started?

FIND YOUR DESTINATION: