When are Yellow Fever vaccines necessary?

There seems to be so much discrepancy regarding the requirement of yellow fever vaccines. We are cruising from Ft. Lauderdale to Buenos Aries, with several ports along the coast of Brazil. We also heard that it isn't required, but if you travel to other countries and they see you were in Brazil and didn't get the YF vaccine, they will not allow you into their country. Okay Cruise Critics......I know you have the answer!!:D

It is really quite clear:

"You may be denied boarding at the Port if all required documents are not present."

This is what Princess Policy states.

On any voyage that stops at Any Brazilian port, everyone on the ship must have documentation of Yellow Fever shot earlier than 10 days before arriving at the first port in Brazil.

Just get the YF - it is not worth being denied boarding.

Luvcruisin', you are correct. There are times that the country you are visiting does not require the yellow fever shot but one of the countries you are visiting subsequent to that visit does require the yellow fever shot. That has been our exprience.

Check the CDC web site to see if you can figure out the specifics based on your trip. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx

Our cruise line notified us well in advance that we needed the yellow fever shot and that we needed to bring the document (yellow card) with us to the port of embarkations. where they held this along with our passports for the duration of the cruise.

Keith

As Crown Prince states, GET the shot unless you have a medical reason not to. You will be given an exemption letter if you medically cannot get the shot (allergic to eggs).

China is going nuts about YF shots. The Consulate in Los Angeles is now asking for proof of vaccination when you apply for a Chinese visa and have stamps for Peru, Panama, almost anyplace in Africa or a Brazilian visa. It's nuts, but they are trying to make it as difficult as possible to get a Chinese visa leading up to the Olympics. China is still a very closed country and they are "protecting" their citizens

The CDC website provides info for what is SUPPOSED to be done in various countries. But in reality, any country can deny you admission depending on the immigration officer. You definitely need the shot for Brazil. But more importantly, if you get a cranky immigration officer in your FUTURE travels, you may need proof of YF to enter.

Everytime someone posts with this question we get the same answers. Some say get the shot no matter what. I am one who says get it if it is required but if it is not required do not get it. Anytime, you get a shot there are risks so if it is not needed I would not get it.

As an FYI, I have gotten the shot twice, most recently for a world cruise we took in 2007. In 2008, we took another world cruise and while I brought my yellow card with me just in case I did not turn it in on embarkation day since no yellow fever shot was required. And, as an FYI, our cruise included a stop in China.

Our cruise line (Crystal) is very efficient at letting one know what is required and what is not required whether it be in terms of a yellow fever shot to a visa. Yes, I know all cruise lines are not as good as that.

What I would do is to start with your cruise line to see if they can tell you definitively whether or not a yellow fever shot is required. Since you didn't list the ports you are visiting we can't quite tell.

If they can't provide you with a definitive answer then you may just need to get it. If you do, go to the CDC web site so you can look up for the area that you live in where you can get the shot as this shot is only available at certain medicial facillities.

Good luck.

Keith

We just returned from a cruise out of Valparaiso to Sao Paulo. We were told by our local health department that we did not need a YF vacc because we were not going to be touring inland and are only visiting coastal areas.

We were able to get our Brazilian Visas without a YF certificate with no problem.

Oh boy.....more conflicting reviews.....:(

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentYellowFeverBrazil.aspx

Outbreak Notice - Yellow Fever Alert for Brazil

This information is current as of today, June 15, 2008 at 18:01

On January 8, 2008, the Brazilian Ministry of Health (MOH) announced a yellow fever disease alert for tourists and diplomats residing in Brazil, due to a number of suspected and confirmed human yellow fever cases during December 2007 and January 2008. As of June 11, 2008, 45 confirmed cases of Yellow Fever have been reported, including 25 deaths.The Brazilian MOH alert states that travelers to “areas of risk” for yellow fever should be vaccinated 10 days before going to such areas. In addition to areas previously identified in CDC’s guidance to travelers, the Brazilian MOH has identified two additional states with yellow fever risk: the northern part of Espiritu Santo and the western part of Santa Catarina.Brazil currently requires yellow fever vaccination for persons entering Brazil from countries listed as endemic for yellow fever (see Brazil country-specific requirements). The new yellow fever vaccination recommendation by Brazil for travelers is to protect the travelers’ health in response to this recent situation.

I've had the YFI a few times. It's a case of why would I need it. One is to make sure that you don't get it if you go somewhere with an outbreak such as Brasil is having. Brasil will give you a visa without the shot because it's your health not theirs.

But other countries who may notice from your passport/ ship schedule where you've come from will check you had the vaccine to ensure their countries don't have an outbreak.

Often people are told they don't need the shot because they aren't going to an affected part of the country. Health care people are looking at it on an exposure basis. But immigration officials are subsequent stops just see Brasil and tend not enter into the same discussion as the health care people on which bit you went to!

I have had the shot and then countries I knew required it never asked to see proof - but I'm not a great one for gambling with immigration officials and their moods!

This is a very unclear question, if you can have them then definitely do have them and make sure they are recorded on the official international shot record, my passengers were put off in Trinidad on a cruise to Manaus in Jan 2007 because their shots were recorded on the wrong card, not the official yellow folder, and their doctor did not sign and put the batch number on the record. Who could have seen that coming. The Brazilian Consulate issued their Visa and took the shot record, but Princess Cruises PSD put them off the ship 5 days into the cruise which started in San Juan.

I now have a 84 year old man with a heart pacemaker and a stent, he wants to be exempted. Princess can't tell me what might happen and I do not really know whom to ask. His cardiologist is willing to write an exemption letter, but Princess says he may be denied boarding in Rome for the trip to Ft Lauderdale stopping in Brazil on the way.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks for your help or advise.

My wife and I will be getting our yellow fever shots soon. We are in reasonably good health but are wondering if anyone has had a bad reaction to the shot. We are going to Michigan from Arizona in two weeks and do not wish to have a problem due to the shot.

Thanks for your input:)

My wife and I will be getting our yellow fever shots soon. We are in reasonably good health but are wondering if anyone has had a bad reaction to the shot. We are going to Michigan from Arizona in two weeks and do not wish to have a problem due to the shot.

Thanks for your input:)

I have had the shot twice and my wife once with no side affects. However, with that said, no one can guarantee the outcome. The same is true for medications. Here is informaition regarding side effects from the CDC Web Site.

"A vaccine, like any medicine, is capable of causing serious problems, such as severe allergic reactions. The risk of a vaccine causing serious harm, or death, is extremely small.

Reactions are less likely to occur after a booster dose of yellow fever vaccine than after the first dose.

Mild problems:

• soreness, redness, or swelling where the shot was given
  
• fever
  
• aches

If these problems occur, they usually begin soon after the shot and last for 5 to 10 days. In studies, they occurred in as many as 25 percent of vaccine recipients.

Severe problems (estimates based on passive reporting):

• Life-threatening allergic reaction (approximately 1 reported per 131,000 doses).
  
• Severe nervous system reactions (approximately 1 reported per 150,000 to 250,000 doses).
  
• Life-threatening severe illness with major organ system failure (approximately 1 reported per 200,000 to 300,000 doses, or 1 reported per 40,000 to 50,000 doses in people 60 years of age and older). More than half of the people who suffer these side effects die."

This is a very unclear question, if you can have them then definitely do have them and make sure they are recorded on the official international shot record, my passengers were put off in Trinidad on a cruise to Manaus in Jan 2007 because their shots were recorded on the wrong card, not the official yellow folder, and their doctor did not sign and put the batch number on the record. Who could have seen that coming. The Brazilian Consulate issued their Visa and took the shot record, but Princess Cruises PSD put them off the ship 5 days into the cruise which started in San Juan.

I now have a 84 year old man with a heart pacemaker and a stent, he wants to be exempted. Princess can't tell me what might happen and I do not really know whom to ask. His cardiologist is willing to write an exemption letter, but Princess says he may be denied boarding in Rome for the trip to Ft Lauderdale stopping in Brazil on the way.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks for your help or advise.

There is an official "form" from the local health depts. This form, as well as a doctor's letter on letterhead indicating SPECIFICALLY why the person can't have the vaccine are needed. We had to get one four years ago for a business associate who has "in remission" leukemia. Anyone with a suppressed immune system should NOT get YF. It was a hassle, but doable. My first contact was the local health dept, then a travel clinic, then my associate's regular cancer doctor.

It all has to be there and in proper order or denied boarding could be a reality.

Here's some pretty good info on what the cert should look like:

http://www.medic8.com/travel/yellow-fever.htm

Juust got back from a cruise that included Rio, Santos, Salvador and Recife. We were NOT required to have yellow fever shots. Visiting Manaus is quite different than visiting the ports we visited. We canceled our Princess Amazon cruise when we realised what injections and medication were advised.

I had a YF shot many years ago and I had a very bad reaction to it. I would never have another under any circumstances, I would rather not visit any country that requires it.

I am not current on this topic, but in 2005 I was, and the shot was only required for going to certain inland places mostly associated with the Amazon River basin. I certainly don't think I would get a shot if I was doing a cruise that didn't go inland, and then only if I am going to a place where YF is a problem.

I am not a big fan of taking shots or any medical procedure that I don't need, and the cruiselines are capable of giving bad advice about YF shots.

jc

and the cruiselines are capable of giving bad advice about YF shots.

..And it's not limited to shots. On our recent cruise to Brazil, there were approx 50-60 passengers denied boarding in Valparaiso, Chile because they didn't have Brazilian visas. Apparently they were told by RCI Customer Service in Miami that they could get visas onboard. $2000 and three days later they caught up with us Punta Arenas.:eek:

Again, I am posting to please think about your FUTURE travels. Peru, Panama, China and others look at that Brazilian visa, could care less how old it is or that you only "went to Rio". It is up to a foreign country's immigration officer to determine what requirements are needed to enter THEIR country. And yes, often those requirements are different from officer to officer, day to day and country entry point to country entry point. So different experiences reported.

DH's best friend called from Hong Kong Monday. "Please go to my house-get into my file cabinet-I need proof of YF vaccination-you know the yellow card. I THINK it is in the folder marked TRAVEL". He had neglected to take his YF card with him for his trip to the Olympics. China asked for it, he didn't have it. So back to Hong Kong he and his wife went to either get the vaccinations or wait for the FedEx from us IF we could find the yellow card. We found it, shipped it out Tuesday morning to his hotel in Hong Kong. We haven't heard from him yet, but I am sure they will either call when it arrives HKG or from Beijing when they finally make it to the Chinese mainland. I am going to guess that not taking the vaccination card probably cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000.00 (RT from/to Beijing to HKG, and 2, maybe three nights hotel plus food). Not having the vaccination would have cost even more.

IT could be a VERY expensive proposition concerning your FUTURE travels. Please think about it.

Cruises take their passengers to the coastal areas, which are areas not areas that require a YF vaccine.

Again, I am posting to please think about your FUTURE travels. Peru, Panama, China

I'll ask you again, you ignored my previous post on another thread, but why would Peru require a YF cert for people that had visited Brazil? It is definitely not a current requirement. If you have better info, please post it. We visited Brazil earlier this tear and will be visitin Peru in April, 2009. If you have info that will affect our visit, I'd really appreciate you telling me.

I'll ask you again, you ignored my previous post on another thread, but why would Peru require a YF cert for people that had visited Brazil? It is definitely not a current requirement. If you have better info, please post it. We visited Brazil earlier this tear and will be visitin Peru in April, 2009. If you have info that will affect our visit, I'd really appreciate you telling me.

Sorry, I missed your post. The short answer-because there is Yellow fever in Brazil, with a recent widely publicised outbreak. There is also Yellow Fever in Peru (in the jungles). So Peru wants no more exposure to Yellow Fever than they already have.

And here is where it gets tricky-where EXACTLY is the endemic area in Brazil??? And I mean EXACTLY-not a colored area on a map without distinct boundaries. And what immigration officer in Peru is going to determine EXACTLY where the endemic area of Brazil is??? Are you going to get the person who speaks decent English and understands the concept of "endemic" area (you were "only in Rio"). Or is that officer looking at the entire country of Brazil as a Yellow Fever hot spot (and there have been quite a few local SA news reports about the YF outbreak in Brazil). Are you really going to get into an argument with an immigration officer, especially one who may not speak very good English (unless your Spanish is fluent)???

I am always asked for the cert, but there again, I have a LOT of SA stamps-mostly Chile and Peru, but also quite a few from Ecuador and Columbia, as well as SE Asia. And of course, those prominent Brazil visa's.

I have seen lots of backpackers asked for the YF cert. Most of them have been working their way around SA-hitting both endemic and "border only" areas.

Your choice. IF you can medically tolerate it (or get the waiver/exemption), I see no reason NOT to get it. Who knows when that dream trip to the jungles of Brazil/Peru or up the Mekong in SE Asia just pops up at too good a price to pass up??? Be a shame to miss it for a vaccination. PLUS you are not going to get Yellow Fever, which should be a bonus.

Again, I am posting to please think about your FUTURE travels. Peru, Panama, China and others look at that Brazilian visa, could care less how old it is or that you only "went to Rio". It is up to a foreign country's immigration officer to determine what requirements are needed to enter THEIR country. And yes, often those requirements are different from officer to officer, day to day and country entry point to country entry point. So different experiences reported.

 

DH's best friend called from Hong Kong Monday. "Please go to my house-get into my file cabinet-I need proof of YF vaccination-you know the yellow card. I THINK it is in the folder marked TRAVEL". He had neglected to take his YF card with him for his trip to the Olympics. China asked for it, he didn't have it. So back to Hong Kong he and his wife went to either get the vaccinations or wait for the FedEx from us IF we could find the yellow card. We found it, shipped it out Tuesday morning to his hotel in Hong Kong. We haven't heard from him yet, but I am sure they will either call when it arrives HKG or from Beijing when they finally make it to the Chinese mainland. I am going to guess that not taking the vaccination card probably cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $1000.00 (RT from/to Beijing to HKG, and 2, maybe three nights hotel plus food). Not having the vaccination would have cost even more.

 

IT could be a VERY expensive proposition concerning your FUTURE travels. Please think about it.

Thanks for your suggestion. My wife and I just got our Yellow Fever shots as we are traveling to Peru and Machu Picchu. Since we are traveling to S E Asia next year will we have trouble getting in if we have our yellow cards? You mentioned that entrance is up from officer to officer. I would hate to take the trip and have the card only to be turned away in any country.

Saddlebrooke

Thanks for your suggestion. My wife and I just got our Yellow Fever shots as we are traveling to Peru and Machu Picchu. Since we are traveling to S E Asia next year will we have trouble getting in if we have our yellow cards? You mentioned that entrance is up from officer to officer. I would hate to take the trip and have the card only to be turned away in any country.

Saddlebrooke

The card properly filled out is PROOF of the vaccination.

I would highly doubt that any immigration officer would deny the card. They would have no reason to. They are looking for PROOF of the vaccination.

DH's friend forgot their cards. They both had the shots last year when we all went to Carnival in Rio and then to Peru. Well, let's put it this way-we all went to Carnival, I went to Chile for work and DH, family and friends partied in Peru.

The card properly filled out is PROOF of the vaccination.

 

I would highly doubt that any immigration officer would deny the card. They would have no reason to. They are looking for PROOF of the vaccination.

 

DH's friend forgot their cards. They both had the shots last year when we all went to Carnival in Rio and then to Peru. Well, let's put it this way-we all went to Carnival, I went to Chile for work and DH, family and friends partied in Peru.

Thanks for your comments. I am having some mild reactions to the shot at this time but will probably live:)

We are going to miss Carnival by two days as some people recommended that we do not stay for it for one reason or another.

Juust got back from a cruise that included Rio, Santos, Salvador and Recife. We were NOT required to have yellow fever shots. Visiting Manaus is quite different than visiting the ports we visited. We canceled our Princess Amazon cruise when we realised what injections and medication were advised.

I had a YF shot many years ago and I had a very bad reaction to it. I would never have another under any circumstances, I would rather not visit any country that requires it.

I just saw your posting indicating that you had bad side effects after getting the yellow fever shots. Can you tell me what your symptoms were and how long your reaction lasted? I got mine 21 days ago and still have a low grade fever and areas on my arms and arm pits that are sore (sensitive) to touch. Just wanted to compare.

saddelbrooke

I just saw your posting indicating that you had bad side effects after getting the yellow fever shots. Can you tell me what your symptoms were and how long your reaction lasted? I got mine 21 days ago and still have a low grade fever and areas on my arms and arm pits that are sore (sensitive) to touch. Just wanted to compare.

saddelbrooke

I am not a doctor and I do not play one at CC, but if I had symptoms from a vaccine 21 days later, I would be talking to my doctor, like 20 days ago!;)

I did a quick search and found this link.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5144a1.htm

Good luck!

jc