Yellow Fever Certificate?

[riviera]

Sorry if this has been discussed, I haven't seen it. We have not been on Carnival in over 2 years and we recently booked the Sunshine for Feb 2016. We have both received and email regarding getting a "yellow fever certificate" to travel and we are responsible for this and may be denied boarding if we don't comply. I went to the website it suggested and I am still not quite sure what we are supposed to do. Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks CC for all your invaluable help through the years.. :)

[eponym]

Sorry if this has been discussed, I haven't seen it. We have not been on Carnival in over 2 years and we recently booked the Sunshine for Feb 2016. We have both received and email regarding getting a "yellow fever certificate" to travel and we are responsible for this and may be denied boarding if we don't comply. I went to the website it suggested and I am still not quite sure what we are supposed to do. Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks CC for all your invaluable help through the years.. :)

 

U.S. CDC says," At a Glance

Yellow fever can be prevented by vaccination. Travelers should also take precautions against mosquito bites when in areas with yellow fever transmission. Travelers should get vaccinated for yellow fever before visiting areas where yellow fever is found.

If you continue to live or travel in yellow fever-endemic areas, you should receive a booster dose of yellow fever vaccine after 10 years.

In the United States, the vaccine is given only at designated yellow fever vaccination centers. International regulations require proof of yellow fever vaccination for travel to and from certain countries. People who get vaccinated should be given an International Certificate of Vaccination. Also note that the vaccine is to be given at least 10 days before travel to an endemic area."

[SeaPeaInn]

These are only required for some South American ports. I do know that they require them for the Amazon area. You cannot get them just anywhere.

 

When we got ours a few years ago I know that a person came to our house from a town 30 miles away. They are rather expensive.

 

I am just now remember that on our cruise 30 people were left behind and had to join the ship 3 days later and fly at their expense. They claimed they did not know about it but I am sure they did. This is something that is not required by the US but by the countries being visited.

Edited March 15, 2015 by SeaPeaInn
added information

[Velvetwater]

They are also needed for some African an Asian countries but thats not a worry for Carnival cruisers at this time.

 

We never had any guidance for our Panama Canal cruise on Yellow fever but we were visiting Columbia then Costa Rica (a country who requires YF certificate if you have been to an area infected).

 

Upon research, we found out that due to the short stay in Costa Rica and short stay in Cartegena (A part of Columbia not usually affected) it was unlikely that we would need to present/prove anything.

 

However with husband's T1 diabetes and general Travel insurance guidance we got our YF injections and certificates at a clinic in the UK. It cost us £90 ($120) each and is now considered a lifetime inoculation with the newer doses so check that too. For those scared of needles it is a normal top arm one that is a very fine needle. We also took general repellent lotion and bands as I am from a medical family and take no chances. Surely the US has a list of places to get within a certain radius?

 

Also, very important to make sure the name on the certificate is exactly matched to your passport as any errors will cost you the price of an injection again (only one certificate per injection).

Edited March 15, 2015 by Velvetwater

[BigRed93]

Is your ship stopping in Barbados? That is the only time I have gotten that notice, and it pertains mainly to those that use Barbados as an embarkation point.

Unless you are a regular world traveler, it may not pertain to you.

 

 

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[INCHARGE]

May I please ask what countries you are going to that would make it almost mandatory that you have this shot? Were you aware of this before you booked it? Thanks

[riviera]

INCHARGE, no we had no idea when we booked this cruise. altho, we will still go. We usually cruise 3-4 times a year and have never encountered this. The letter mentions Barbados but we have been there many many times and never experienced this. The only ports we are visiting that we haven't been to before are Trinidad and Cartagena. I am thinking perhaps it is the Caragena port that is creating the issue. Apparently we will need innoculations before we travel. Thanks everyone for your valuable input. If I find anything else out, I will certainly post.

Thanks again!!

Edited March 15, 2015 by riviera
typo

[INCHARGE]

Thank You, riviera. I am going to Aruba, Grand Turk, and Bonaire. I have never been to. Bonaire, so I was concerned that this may have been the country. I do not always read email from Carnival, so I wanted to make sure I did not delete it in error!

[Velvetwater]

INCHARGE, no we had no idea when we booked this cruise. altho, we will still go. We usually cruise 3-4 times a year and have never encountered this. The letter mentions Barbados but we have been there many many times and never experienced this. The only ports we are visiting that we haven't been to before are Trinidad and Cartagena. I am thinking perhaps it is the Caragena port that is creating the issue. Apparently we will need innoculations before we travel. Thanks everyone for your valuable input. If I find anything else out, I will certainly post.

Thanks again!!

 

Our Carnival cruise went to Cartagena and we never got an email or letter (our cruisemates were the same) but I think it actually concerns the countries you sail to AFTER visting a yellow fever risk area. Since Carnival did not require us to get it for Cartagena, Columbia then it must be assumed that Trinidad and Tabago must be the reason and that Grenada, St kitts, Martinique or St Thomas require a presentation that since coming for Trinidad you must be inoculated.

 

EDIT: This is the map I used for our cruise. As you can see all of T+T is red (vaccine recommended) but only some of Columbia.

 

http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/disease-prevention-advice/yellow-fever/yellow-fever-risk-areas.aspx

Edited March 15, 2015 by Velvetwater

[riviera]

Good point, Velvetwater!! That makes sense, that it is the countries we are visiting AFTER visiting a "potential" yellow fever country that is requiring the innoculations. I will check into this a little more. Again, thanks for the tips. Love CC!!

[riviera]

I just looked at our itinerary. I made a mistake: no CARTAGENA on this cruise.

This is our itinerary for the Carnival Sunshine 13 day cruise in Feb 2016. In this order:

St Martin, Dominica, Barbados, Trinidad, Grenada, Martinique, St Kitts, St Thomas.

I will post when I find out if we do indeed need innoculations and the reasoning for it.

[stobe1]

I will also be on this cruise. The way I read the letter is we do NOT need it. It says, "Barbados only requires a vaccination if the traveler is from areas infected with yellow fever, areas where yellow fever transmission has occurred (endemic areas), and for travelers having transited more than 12 hours through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. If this does not apply to you, a yellow fever vaccine is not necessary."

 

So unless you live in a country with yellow fever or have visited a country with yellow fever, you don't need the vaccine.

[Velvetwater]

Theres the legal requirements of countries and Carnival and theres health to consider. Even though we were in Cartagena for 8 hours we got the YF vaccine done. I suppose thats the difference between required and recommended.

 

Personally, if it was me I would after reading this from http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/mamerica_carib/trinidad_and_tobago.php:

 

'Yellow fever vaccine is recommended for all travelers greater than nine months of age traveling to the island of Trinidad, except for travelers whose itinerary is limited to the urban areas of Port of Spain, cruise ship passengers who do not disembark from the ship, and airplane passengers in transit, unless they have reason to expect a large number of mosquito bites. The vaccine is not recommended for travelers whose itineraries are limited to the island of Tobago. Yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for those visiting only Tobago. The vaccine is required for all travelers over one year of age arriving from a yellow-fever-infected country in Africa or the Americas. Yellow fever vaccine (YF-VAX; Aventis Pasteur Inc.) (PDF) must be administered at an approved yellow fever vaccination center, which will give each vaccinee a fully validated International Certificate of Vaccination. The vaccine should not be given to anyone who is younger than nine months old, pregnant, immunocompromised, or allergic to eggs (since the vaccine is produced in chick embryos).'

 

So you could stay on the ship if you do not want the added expense....although it seems like a stunning port.

Edited March 15, 2015 by Velvetwater

[pusywillow]

These are only required for some South American ports. I do know that they require them for the Amazon area. You cannot get them just anywhere.

 

When we got ours a few years ago I know that a person came to our house from a town 30 miles away. They are rather expensive.

 

I am just now remember that on our cruise 30 people were left behind and had to join the ship 3 days later and fly at their expense. They claimed they did not know about it but I am sure they did. This is something that is not required by the US but by the countries being visited.

 

They are given at my local hospital and also by the visiting nurses. Maybe that's why they came to your house and were more expensive.

 

Sue

[cb at sea]

You do not need ANY inoculations for your ports.