When are Yellow Fever vaccines necessary?

[greatam]

I am unable to get the Yellow Fever shot because of my past health history...it is a LIVE shot.

The local health department told me to get OFF insect repelent with at least 35% of active ingredient "Deet." Use it every day.

Can be purchased at Sports Authority or any camping store.

This might be your answer.

 

For those who medically cannot get the vaccination, there is a waiver program. You get your doctor to write a letter, on his letterhead, stating the SPECIFIC reasons why you can't have the shot. Then you take the letter to the health dept that is authorized to give YF vaccinations. You are then given a card with the letter attached, with the health dept stamp and signature, EXACTLY as you would have if you had the shot. The card is titled Medical ContraIndication to Vaccination and is the same yellow as the vaccination card.

 

While DEET is highly recommended, it is NOT a substitute for entry requirements to various countries. Please try to get the waiver, if for no other reason than you KNOW you have ALL your bases covered.

[Jade13]

baggirl asked: If we are going to Machu Pichu, the Princess Cruise, Iguazu falls(Argentinain side) and then back to the US, do you think it is necessatry to get a YF vaccination?

 

 

If you feel there is a chance you need the YF shots, the best way to get a correct answer is to call your local health department. They have all the up to date information and access to information we do not. Do not make your decision based on what you read on these boards. Consult an expert. www.cdc.gov/ does say the shot is recomended for the falls.

 

CDC yellow fever vaccination recommendation for travelers to Argentina: For all travelers >9 months of age going to the northern and northeastern forested areas, including Iguaçu Falls and all parts of Misiones Province, as well as all areas bordering Paraguay and Brazil. These areas include: all departments of Misiones and Formosa Provinces; Department of Bermejo in Chaco Province; Departments of Berón de Astrada, Capital, General Alvear, General Paz, Ituzaingó, Itatí, Paso de los Libres, San Cosme, San Miguel, San Martín and Santo Tomé in Corrientes Province; Departments of Valle Grande, Ledesma, Santa Bárbara and San Pedro in Jujuy Province; and Departments of General José de San Martín, Oran, Rivadavia and Anta in Salta Province (see Updated yellow fever risk map for Argentina). Updated April 17, 2008 Vaccination should be given 10 days before travel and at 10 year intervals if there is on-going risk. Find an authorized U.S. yellow fever vaccination clinic.

 

My husband and I had the YF shots. We are 61 and 64. No pain. No side effects for us but they are a possibility to consider. If going into an endemic area I would want to take the shot. Those blood hungry little critters always find me.

 

I did have a reaction to the oral Typhoid. With it you take a pill every other day for 4 pills. I had nausea and some vomiting. My husband had no side effects.

 

Thanks for the Info. I was told we do not need the shot for Brazil, but have a call into a Dr. that handles these type of shots/cases.

[marazul]

There is another good reason to get the YF vaccination if you are nearing "retirement age." If you are healthy and 65 (or thereabouts), you might want to get the vaccine even if it is only recommended, but not required, for example to go to Iguazu. The reason is that you might be planning other trips in the next few years, such as the Amazon, Africa, etc. In a few years, the doctor might advice against it because of age or other reasons. They are more cautious about giving the vaccine to people over 65. If you get it while you can, you are protected for 10 years and you will be able to travel in the future without worries. It will keep your options open for travel.

 

By the way, we got our YF vaccines earlier this week with no side effects.

[Caandi]

My TA called me this week to tell me that we would have to get Yellow Fever shots to board the ship because we would go from 3 port cities in Brazil to Barbados. Although my roomate is 78 and the doctor at the Travel Immunization place was hesitant to give him the shot, he is going back next week with the itinerary and e-mails from the Crystal Folks. Crystal says Barbados will not let the ship dock unless everyone has had the YF shot. The Public Health folks in Orange County California had run out of vaccine, they referred him to this travel innocculations place. I live in Las Vegas and have scheduled to have the shot November 14. It is $95.00 for him in California and $120.00 for me in Vegas. Go figure.

[libby10205]

My TA called me this week to tell me that we would have to get Yellow Fever shots to board the ship because we would go from 3 port cities in Brazil to Barbados. Although my roomate is 78 and the doctor at the Travel Immunization place was hesitant to give him the shot, he is going back next week with the itinerary and e-mails from the Crystal Folks. Crystal says Barbados will not let the ship dock unless everyone has had the YF shot. The Public Health folks in Orange County California had run out of vaccine, they referred him to this travel innocculations place. I live in Las Vegas and have scheduled to have the shot November 14. It is $95.00 for him in California and $120.00 for me in Vegas. Go figure.

 

Be sure to read Greatam's below about getting a yellow card with a letter attached from your doctor.

[Jade13]

There is another good reason to get the YF vaccination if you are nearing "retirement age." If you are healthy and 65 (or thereabouts), you might want to get the vaccine even if it is only recommended, but not required, for example to go to Iguazu. The reason is that you might be planning other trips in the next few years, such as the Amazon, Africa, etc. In a few years, the doctor might advice against it because of age or other reasons. They are more cautious about giving the vaccine to people over 65. If you get it while you can, you are protected for 10 years and you will be able to travel in the future without worries. It will keep your options open for travel.

 

By the way, we got our YF vaccines earlier this week with no side effects.

 

I spoke to my doctor and will get the shot once I find a travel clinic or one in a hospital who takes my insurance. Someone called me back that can do the shot but does not take insurance and he requires a consult. Said "I'm not Nurse Betty". I don't expect the shot to be covered but a least if I go to someone who will file insurance, an office visit cost will be covered. Getting a bill for $85.00 per shot is one thing. Ending up with a bill over $1,000 for two people for consultations is another :)

 

We plan to do more traveling, go to Hong Kong to visit a friend and who knows where else.

[marazul]

Be sure to read Greatam's below about getting a yellow card with a letter attached from your doctor.

 

Read this page from the CDC about the requirements for a waiver:

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-YellowFever.aspx

 

And for the waiver or vaccine, you must do it through an authorized yellow fever vaccination center:

 

http://www2.ncid.cdc.gov/travel/yellowfever/

 

As for costs, there are four near me. The least expensive was a university medical center where we paid $89 each. The highest wanted $225.

[dfb]

Jade, You don't say where you live, but most larger metropolitan areas have this type of travel clinic as part of county public health services. Check your county website for vaccinations/innoculations or travel clinics, or call your county public health dept. We used the county travel clinic and spoke several times with the RN running it and had 2 appointments for shots without any office visit or consultation charges. We only had to pay for the shots themselves and I believe for the International YVF certificates. (Our tax dollars cover the actual operation of the clinic.) They would not bill insurance, so we paid them and submitted the paperwork they provided to our insurer. Our insurance did cover vaccines, so we were reimbursed the UCR charges which was all but maybe $20pp for all 5 shots we got. Good luck, Debbie

[ricki]

We had our Yellow Fever shots at an infectious disease specialist's office who also does travel medicine. He only charged a $75.00 consultation fee total for us and the Yellow Fever shot was only $65.00 each. It was not covered by our insurance.

 

Sore arm and headache the first day only.

 

Ricki

[DD]

We got ours on Tuesday, along with Typhoid and 2nd Hep A (DH only--I already had mine). Flu-like symptoms, aches, pains, fever, headache, crappy feeling. Still, a small price to pay to avoid YF.

 

$45 consult, each YF was $92. By the time we were finished, $450+ for 2 of us. Again, a small price to pay to avoid YF.