Yellow Fever Waiver

Recently received notification from Seabourn via my TA that for our CapeTown to Singapore cruise we are required to get the Yellow Fever immunization. Thinking that this was a mistake and that Seabourn inadvertently sent the notice meant only for those boarding prior to us in Brazil I contacted my TA. Sure enough Seabourn is telling her that Madagascar is insisting that ALL passengers on the ship, and not just those who started out in Brazil, are required to have the immunization. This is counter to the information on the CDC website that says Madagascar only requires it if you have been to a country with an outbreak (such as Brazil) I certainly don't want to get the shot (20 years ago got it and had some unpleasant side effects), especially as I don't need it since we will not be in any countries with an outbreak so I am going to try to get waivers for DH and myself based on age. Has anyone in the US gotten a waiver and can you tell me from whom we get the waiver ? The website for my County Health Dept shows they no longer handle travel immunizations. And my doctor, who is retiring in less than two weeks, does not do travel immunizations.

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I got the shot two years ago so, luckily, I am covered. But agree with you on the side effects. I felt quite iffy for several days with aching muscles after getting it.

We got our shots over at the local Community Health centre in Cottonwood.

Go to any travel clinic and can get a waiver for age if over65

Recently received notification from Seabourn via my TA that for our CapeTown to Singapore cruise we are required to get the Yellow Fever immunization. Thinking that this was a mistake and that Seabourn inadvertently sent the notice meant only for those boarding prior to us in Brazil I contacted my TA. Sure enough Seabourn is telling her that Madagascar is insisting that ALL passengers on the ship, and not just those who started out in Brazil, are required to have the immunization. This is counter to the information on the CDC website that says Madagascar only requires it if you have been to a country with an outbreak (such as Brazil) I certainly don't want to get the shot (20 years ago got it and had some unpleasant side effects), especially as I don't need it since we will not be in any countries with an outbreak so I am going to try to get waivers for DH and myself based on age. Has anyone in the US gotten a waiver and can you tell me from whom we get the waiver ? The website for my County Health Dept shows they no longer handle travel immunizations. And my doctor, who is retiring in less than two weeks, does not do travel immunizations.

Do you still have documentation? The Yellow Fever vaccine is apparently good for life:

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6423a5.htm

Do you still have documentation? The Yellow Fever vaccine is apparently good for life.

That varies. Mine is good for 10 years.

Originally, the CDC and WHO said yellow fever vaccine was good for 10 years. Now they are saying if you had once, it is good for life. If you cannit find your card with the stamp, you should be able to get a waiver. Because it is a "live vaccine" many people cannot take - e.g. People wiyj inmune deficiency - arthritis, lupus, etc. many diseases would qualify. You should be able to get a dr letter.

Thanks for all of the helpful replies.

Host Jazzbesu,

Interesting point. I had read that it was now good for life but wondered if we were grandfathered. However, more importantly is can I find those little yellow booklets -- 20 years and a move to a different house in a different city. It's at least worth spending so,e time hunting.

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Go to any travel clinic and can get a waiver for age if over65

What is a travel clinic?

A travel medicine clinic usually run by infectious disease

specialists.

As I am finding out many public health departments got out of this "business" in the last few years and a new wave of travel clinics have sprung up to provide travelers with counseling and immunizations tailored to their travel itineraries. The CDC has a link I discovered that will help you find such clinics in your area.

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Coincidentally, I was at the travel clinic today to update my typhoid jab (nasty one, always leaves me so sore!). The nurse saw that I had previously had a yellow fever jab in 1992 and commented that, as long as I still have the vaccination certificate, my 1992 jab is valid for life.

Do you still have documentation? The Yellow Fever vaccine is apparently good for life:

In April 2013, the World Health Organization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization concluded that a single primary dose of yellow fever vaccine is sufficient to confer sustained immunity and lifelong protection against yellow fever disease, and that a booster dose is not needed

https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6423a5.htm

That's great, but do all countries accept that? You may still have to follow entry policies of other countries.

I did a world cruise where several ports required the yellow fever immunization. I had a waiver, which I obtained from my health care travel doctor (Kaiser), and had no problem going on shore at any port.

Art

For whatever it is worth (from the CDC):

Medical Waivers (Exemptions)

(IHR2005) states: If the supervising clinician is of the opinion that the vaccination (or prophylaxis) is contraindicated on medical grounds, the supervising clinician shall provide the person with reasons, written in English or French, which the competent authorities on arrival should take into account.If a traveler has a medical contraindication to yellow fever vaccination, a medical waiver can be issued in lieu of administering the vaccine. In this case, the provider should fill out and sign the Medical Contraindications to Vaccination section of the ICVP. Also, it is the provider's responsibility to counsel the patient about the risks of traveling without vaccination to a country with risk of yellow fever virus transmission and about personal protective methods against mosquito bites. Patients in this situation should be advised that the safest alternative is to avoid or postpone travel. Additionally, CDC suggests that a clinician who decides to grant a medical waiver provide the patient with a signed and dated exemption letter on letterhead stationery, clearly stating that the vaccine is contraindicated on medical grounds. This letter should also display the center's official yellow fever vaccination stamp. Medical exemption letters should be written for the current trip only. Subsequent exemption letters can be issued prior to future trips, if required.

Thanks for all of the helpful replies.

 

Host Jazzbesu,

Interesting point. I had read that it was now good for life but wondered if we were grandfathered. However, more importantly is can I find those little yellow booklets -- 20 years and a move to a different house in a different city. It's at least worth spending so,e time hunting.

 

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Chairsin, I would think you should be able to contact the original doctor who gave you and your DH the shots years ago, if you can't find the yellow card to have them replaced - assuming the medical practice is still in business today. I guess that is yet something else I need to look for, as we too had the yellow card and I put it "somewhere..."

So pleased that I found this thread. My husband and I are doing the 36 day trip and I had booked us both in for the yellow fever jabs in a few weeks. However on reading this you jogged my memory; I had the vaccination back in 1986 and the yellow booklet was still in my old passport collection :') Unfortunately hubby still has to go through the pain and cost.....:eek: Thanks.

So pleased that I found this thread. My husband and I are doing the 36 day trip and I had booked us both in for the yellow fever jabs in a few weeks. However on reading this you jogged my memory; I had the vaccination back in 1986 and the yellow booklet was still in my old passport collection :') Unfortunately hubby still has to go through the pain and cost.....:eek: Thanks.

We both had Yellow Fever injections yesterday (£50 each) despite Mrs Marchie having had the injection about 15 years ago. Only a little over 4 weeks to our cruise and we could spend that amount of time looking for the elusive 'somewhere safe' place that we chose. Probably cheaper and quicker to install a Chubb Safe to replace the 'somewhere safe' - if we put it in the bedroom, when we stub our toe whilst responding to the 03:00 call of nature, we'll remember where the paperwork is ...

We also took the opportunity to have a flu jab for a further £10 each (64th birthday on Sunday for me so still too young for the NHS Campaign jab!) in the hope of avoiding the 'cabin cough' problem that we encounter on each cruise ... I had the tetanus jab update on Tuesday of this week so I now resemble the old dartboard in the office. The clinician's parting comment was 'Don't forget the renewal of your Hep A next year ...' (Cash Register ringing in the background ...).

This is the stage at which I wonder about the attraction of cruises - and then I go back to searching for the next one to book! :D