Is Yellow Fever Vaccination Required for Entry to Caribbean Countries?

[Floridiana]

The yellow fever shot is recommended because of French Guinea, but les Iles du Salut aka Devil's Island is the only stop there, not the mainland and not the hinterlands. Chances of meeting a dangerous mosquito on the island are slim.

 

Nevertheless, we got the vaccination and every other precaution you can think of and I recommend it for peace of mind if nothing else. However, nobody wanted to see any proof in 2012, Regatta cruise to the Amazon.

 

We have continued to travel to areas with mosquito born diseases, so it was a good idea to get the vaccine when we were 4 years younger. In addition, we use mosquito spray and sometimes long sleeves. After all there is still the danger of other mosquito born diseases like dengue.

[Semolina]

We are in our 70s and 80s and were told by our travel Dr. that the risk of catching yellow fever on our Amazon cruise was much greater than the very rare risk from the yellow fever vaccination. After a great deal of deliberation both my husband and I decided to go ahead and have the vaccination. My husband had his last week and I had mine this week. So far we are both fine. The nurse who treated us said she had never had an older person with a serious reaction and some of her patients have been in their 90s. We were told by our travel Dr. not to go on the trip if we didn't have the vaccination. We live in the USA but our friends in London have also been given the same recommendation for their Africa trip. I hope this might help some others decide. It only takes one bad mosquito!!

[harpy3]

My travel doctor said get the YF vaccine or DON't GO. We will be 5 days on the Amazon; there are mosquitoes; you will quite likely get bitten. If you look at the CDC or other websites that show where YF is endemic you'll see that a large part of Brazil including the Amazon is that zone. The cruise line may not care if I get the vaccine; but I am heeding my doctor because I care about me.

[Travelcat2]

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/french-guiana The above link might be of interest although the typical government giberish from the CDC. Says the CDC highly recommends the Yellow Fever shot while it also says the shot is required for entry to French Guiana. Very strange that Oceania doesn't require the shot with it being required for entry by the country. Good luck that they don't change and not allow you on board without the shot. We got ours several years ago without any bad effects go good to go next year.

 

Firstly, for the sake of understanding what part of the world we are discussing, Devil's Island is not part of the Caribbean. The islands considered to be part of the Caribbean are: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Caribbean_islands

 

Regarding the CDC, it fairly clearly stated that, prior to October 5, 2015, the Yellow Fever vaccination was "required". After that date it is "Recommended for all travelers ≥9 months of age."

 

Passengers that returned from the Amazon (including Devil's Island) a couple weeks ago on another cruise line did not have a problem. We are booked to visit the Amazon in 2017 and will be taking every possible precaution (short of having a Yellow Fever vaccination).

 

harpy3: Cruise Critic members that just returned from the Amazon were told that the Amazon is too acidic to harbor mosquitos. There are mosquitos, of course, in the jungle. There are several products available to protect yourself - including ones where you spray your clothing. For the many of us whose doctors strongly recommend not getting the Yellow Fever vaccination, they should look into protective clothing and other non-medical preventative products. Since you are able to tolerate the vaccination, you won't have to worry about Yellow Fever but then there is Malaria (a whole other topic:-)

 

Note: It is not only elderly people that can react to the YF vaccination. People with immuno-suppressed issues such as having Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diabetes type 1, Multiple Sclerosis and a host of other diseases are generally gold not to get the vaccination.

Edited December 29, 2016 by Travelcat2

[rallydave]

This link to the US CDC web site discussing French Guiana of which Devils Island remains to this date a contradiction as I said several months ago. It first states: "Yellow Fever Health recommendation: Yellow fever is a risk in French Guiana, so CDC recommends this vaccine for all travelers who are 9 months of age or older." In the next sentence, it states: "Country entry requirement: The government of French Guiana requires proof of yellow fever vaccination for all travelers, except infants." Typical Government gibberish where they state that the US CDC recommends not requires the shot but, in the very next sentence it states that the Government of French Guiana REQUIRES proof of yellow fever vaccination for ALL travelers except infants. So while the US CDS only recommends the vaccinations, it is the Government of French Guiana that sets the requirements for entry into their country. Therefore, the requirement is French Guiana's while the recommendation is from the US CDC which has no say on entry to any other country. And, Oceania is the cruise line that also has no say on entry to French Guiana. Failure to bring a proof of vaccination or waiver from a Doctor CAN affect the passenger's ability to board the ship or get off the ship in Devils Island. That all said, history seems to show and occurred with our visit that not having the vaccinaton or waiver was not a problem and didn't affect us or others but, it is always possible the French Guiana could at any time require Oceania or any other cruise line to not allow passengers embark on the cruise or not allow passengers to visit Devils Island. Of course passengers can do what they choose and interpret this information in any way they choose however the possibility of not getting on the cruise line from the beginning or not get off onto Devils Island will continue to be a possibility until French Guiana changes their entry requirements. Whatever the US CDC has to say is interesting at best but, not something that will overrule the rules of another country. Let your level of risk be your guide as without that vaccination or waiver, it is possible you will be extremely disappointed.

[scdreamer]

This link to the US CDC web site discussing French Guiana of which Devils Island remains to this date a contradiction as I said several months ago. It first states: "Yellow Fever Health recommendation: Yellow fever is a risk in French Guiana, so CDC recommends this vaccine for all travelers who are 9 months of age or older." In the next sentence, it states: "Country entry requirement: The government of French Guiana requires proof of yellow fever vaccination for all travelers, except infants." Typical Government gibberish where they state that the US CDC recommends not requires the shot but, in the very next sentence it states that the Government of French Guiana REQUIRES proof of yellow fever vaccination for ALL travelers except infants. So while the US CDS only recommends the vaccinations, it is the Government of French Guiana that sets the requirements for entry into their country. Therefore, the requirement is French Guiana's while the recommendation is from the US CDC which has no say on entry to any other country. And, Oceania is the cruise line that also has no say on entry to French Guiana. Failure to bring a proof of vaccination or waiver from a Doctor CAN affect the passenger's ability to board the ship or get off the ship in Devils Island. That all said, history seems to show and occurred with our visit that not having the vaccinaton or waiver was not a problem and didn't affect us or others but, it is always possible the French Guiana could at any time require Oceania or any other cruise line to not allow passengers embark on the cruise or not allow passengers to visit Devils Island. Of course passengers can do what they choose and interpret this information in any way they choose however the possibility of not getting on the cruise line from the beginning or not get off onto Devils Island will continue to be a possibility until French Guiana changes their entry requirements. Whatever the US CDC has to say is interesting at best but, not something that will overrule the rules of another country. Let your level of risk be your guide as without that vaccination or waiver, it is possible you will be extremely disappointed.

 

Just returned from the Amazon, and also Devil's Island. We got off the ship at every port, including a tour that included a walk in the rain forest about an hour inland from the river, and never saw a single mosquito anywhere.

 

On Devil's Island, there was no one checking to see if the yellow fever vaccine had been either received or waived.

 

We did have the vaccine, and had proof with us, but it was never checked.

[Floridiana]

 

harpy3: Cruise Critic members that just returned from the Amazon were told that the Amazon is too acidic to harbor mosquitos.

 

A misunderstanding. The water of the Rio Negro is acidic, not the Amazon. The ship will only be on a very short stretch of the Rio Negro when approaching Manaus. The majority of the river trip is on the Amazon not on the Rio Negro.

[Floridiana]

 

On Devil's Island, there was no one checking to see if the yellow fever vaccine had been either received or waived.

 

We did have the vaccine, and had proof with us, but it was never checked.

 

Ours wasn't checked either. There is nobody on the island to check anything. However, there are countries that want proof of vaccination AFTER you have been to French Guinea. Your passport doesn't say that you were there since there is no border control on the tiny island.

 

If there is no medical indication not to get the vaccine, just get it. You may travel somewhere else where you need it anyway.

 

None of this is of any importance for a Caribbean cruise. Different mosquito born diseases, no vaccines available. Take normal precautions (spray, long sleeves, long pants) in the hinterlands.