Yellow Fever Shots & Older Travellers

[USN59-79]

We will be on the Ocean on a 71 day cruise around Africa with some stops in Africa. Princess says yellow fever shots are required by authorities in some of our stops. DW and I went to get ours today at a local Navy hospital and were told that they don't give them to those older than 60. Later I checked the pharmacy at our local Costco and was told the same thing. I am 75 and DW is 73. Looks like I can have my doctor prepare a letter saying that yellow fever shots are contraindicated for persons of our age. We did get the shots in 2004, but they are good for just ten years. Has anyone had a similar problem?

[beg3yrs]

The letters will be accepted by Princess and you'll get to go on the cruise.

 

What might happen is that authorities in certain ports may not allow you disembark but that is unlikely.

 

We were on a similar cruise on the Ocean Princess a year ago and did get the YF shots, as we're below the cutoff age. Once on board though there were plenty of folk (a majority I believe) that were over the cutoff age. They had no problem going into any of the countries requiring the YF shots.

[USN59-79]

The letters will be accepted by Princess and you'll get to go on the cruise.

 

What might happen is that authorities in certain ports may not allow you disembark but that is unlikely.

 

We were on a similar cruise on the Ocean Princess a year ago and did get the YF shots, as we're below the cutoff age. Once on board though there were plenty of folk (a majority I believe) that were over the cutoff age. They had no problem going into any of the countries requiring the YF shots.

Thanks for the reply. That is kind of what I was expecting, but it is good to have it confirmed by someone with recent experience on the Ocean Princess.

[oxypete]

When you get your letter from the doctor, be sure that the doctor's signature is NOT in black ink. When we checked in, the Princess rep made a big deal about the signature not being original since he had signed with black ink. We were shuffled around and showed the letter to 4 people before we were allowed to board.

[USN59-79]

When you get your letter from the doctor, be sure that the doctor's signature is NOT in black ink. When we checked in, the Princess rep made a big deal about the signature not being original since he had signed with black ink. We were shuffled around and showed the letter to 4 people before we were allowed to board.

Sounds like Princess is hiring reps who used to work for the Indian Government. Logically, it seems that if no one in their 70's can get a yellow fever shot then a letter from a doctor stating that fact would be an unnecessary redundancy. It would be like me getting a letter from my doctor stating that I am not pregnant. And since most people use black ink on official documents, I wonder what they are thinking.

[5waldos]

Not eeryplace refuses to give YF shots to older folks. We got them 2 years ago (68 an 72) at a local travel clinic.

 

As far as notes from doctors- I thought that there was an official YF form which had to be signed off on- not simply a note from your doctor, and only certain doctors/clinics are authorized to fill them out. Princess may accept a note but if you go anyplace where they are serious about the shots they may not. You might want to look further into this.

 

Most recent info on the shots is that in fact they are good forever and not for 10 years. But this information has not gotten around as yet. I would bring your yellow book with you- and perhaps a printout of this:http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2013/yellow_fever_20130517/en/

[caribill]

 

Most recent info on the shots is that in fact they are good forever and not for 10 years. But this information has not gotten around as yet. I would bring your yellow book with you- and perhaps a printout of this:http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2013/yellow_fever_20130517/en/

 

I doubt Princess or foreign bureaucrats will accept a WHO news release if their official policy is still a shot within the last 10 years.

[shredie]

Sounds like Princess is hiring reps who used to work for the Indian Government. Logically, it seems that if no one in their 70's can get a yellow fever shot then a letter from a doctor stating that fact would be an unnecessary redundancy. It would be like me getting a letter from my doctor stating that I am not pregnant. And since most people use black ink on official documents, I wonder what they are thinking.

 

Are you sure? LOL. Logic doesn't figure in to bureaucratic stuff like this. Red tape.

[Thrak]

When you get your letter from the doctor, be sure that the doctor's signature is NOT in black ink. When we checked in, the Princess rep made a big deal about the signature not being original since he had signed with black ink. We were shuffled around and showed the letter to 4 people before we were allowed to board.

 

I work for the state of California. They have the same "no black ink" policy. As stated above, it is to make certain that it is an "original" signature.

[shredie]

I work for the state of California. They have the same "no black ink" policy. As stated above, it is to make certain that it is an "original" signature.

 

Is that new? When I worked for the state (before I retired!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D) I don't remember hearing that policy.

[Thrak]

I work for the state of California. They have the same "no black ink" policy. As stated above, it is to make certain that it is an "original" signature.

 

Is that new? When I worked for the state (before I retired!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D) I don't remember hearing that policy.

 

I've only been with the state since early 2000 but I had a user who consistently signed in black ink and his paperwork was consistently refused. He wanted to "make a point" and signed his annual security form in black ink even though I told him it would be refused. He was pretty peeved when he came in to work one day and found that he had no system access at all. Perhaps it's just my department (they are pretty lame...) but we aren't allowed to sign anything in black ink as it could conceivably be a copy rather than an original signature.

[cougaraz]

I work for the state of California. They have the same "no black ink" policy. As stated above, it is to make certain that it is an "original" signature.

 

Hard to believe such policies still exist, shows how slowly the wheels of bureaucracy grind, with modern copiers that print in amazing color, gone are the days of simply using color ink to separate original from copy.

[Thrak]

District offices and our central office have color printers. Field offices don't have color capabilities. We waste soooooooo much money as it is. We don't need to blow more of my tax dollars to provide color printing.

[bronte2]

We were also able to have the Yellow Fever shots even though we were over 60 and over 70 at the time.

We did go to a specialist travel medicine clinic who were authorised to provide the YF vaccinations. A doctor gave us the jab after reviewing our medical history.

Obviously your personal medical situation would influence whether or not it is advisable to have the vaccination but it might be worth checking with a specialist travel medicine clinic. Just a thought. :)

[5waldos]

Read carefully- formally you need a YF stamp available only at centers which can also give the YF vaccination. Princess may not care. But these are the formalities.

http://www.cdc.gov/travel-training/local/PreTravelConsultationandBestPractices/page24195.html

Edited June 21, 2015 by 5waldos

[USN59-79]

Thanks for your replies. I printed out the WHO advisory and the CDC exemption info and will have them when I see my doctor next week. Since I had the shot when serving in Vietnam and again 11 years ago, I feel pretty immune to yellow fever, but not to bureaucracy.

[5waldos]

Thanks for your replies. I printed out the WHO advisory and the CDC exemption info and will have them when I see my doctor next week. Since I had the shot when serving in Vietnam and again 11 years ago, I feel pretty immune to yellow fever, but not to bureaucracy.

 

And sadly it is the bureaucracy that will get you almost every time!

[DaisyRose]

I had never heard that Yellow Fever vaccinations are not always given to those 60+. DH and I are both in our sixties, and have never had the vaccination. As a result of this thread, I did some research, and discovered there can be some side effects to this vaccination. I also tried to find where you need yf vaccination. I found some parts of Africa and South America. I have never been there, but have considered traveling there. After reading potential side effects for my age range, not sure I want to get it; also not sure I want to travel to places that might have yellow fever. Does anyone know where in Africa and where in South America the yellow fever vaccination might be required? Thanks.

[5waldos]

Check the CDC website for the most up to date information.

 

As well as places that YF is endemic there are many countries who require that you have the shot if you have been in any of those places, whether the country requires it or not. Australia is one such country- they have a a long list of countries that if you have visited- you need to have had the shot to come back.

 

We ran into this problem when we visited Panama after being in Ecuador. Ecuador did NOT require the shot. But Panama required that you have the shot if you had been in Ecuador.

 

So it is not always an easy thing to work around. We had ours about 2 years ago (both nearly 70) with no problems at all. Only shot I have ever had qualms about so I am happy that they are behind us forever.

[caribill]

Does anyone know where in Africa and where in South America the yellow fever vaccination might be required? Thanks.

 

Brazil requires it if you have been in an area that is known to have a YF problem. For example, Princess used to have stops at Devil's Island which is part of French Guiana. If you stop at Devil's Island, Brazil requires the YF shot because some areas of French Guiana have a problem even though there is no problem at the Devil's Island stop.

 

See the map at https://www.iamat.org/risks/yellow-fever?gclid=CK-qmfyLpcYCFQiQaQodc84K2A

[DaisyRose]

Thank you very much for the information. I'm not sure whether to go ahead and get the vaccine and travel to those spots, or better to avoid traveling to those spots. There are still many other places left on my bucket list!

[DebJ14]

They say that the vaccine is much riskier for the elderly and my doctor said it is a waste of money because the elderly don't make antibodies like younger people. That being said, my 83 year old grandmother was booked on a 30 day HAL cruise to South America about 3 years ago. Because the ship stopped in Nicaragua, Peru required the yellow fever shot. Kaiser Permanente refused to give her the shot and they provided her with a letter stating that due to her advanced age she should not receive the shot. She had no problems boarding the ship in San Diego and had no problems debarking in Lima (Callao) either. She was advised by the doctor to take precautions against mosquito bites (long sleeves and insect repellent).

 

There are lots of people with chicken or egg allergies who cannot get the yellow fever shot.

 

I have severe allergies to dairy, beef and yeast and because of that cannot get the pneumonia vaccine, HPV, Hepatits B, nor the Tdap (tetanus, diptheria etc). I nearly died from a tetanus shot after a cut on my foot and no one seemed to know why until someone finally asked if I was allergic to beef, casein or dairy.

Edited June 24, 2015 by DebJ14