Yellow Fever Vaccine is on B/O check in your state.

Heads up... do contact your travel clinic (total monopoly) and ask if they have the Yellow F. Vaccine .
Here in WA.State ,all clinics are OUT! and they told me maybe will be out for a full year... So plan accordantly .
I believe is cause the egg crisis in Europe. and apparently is require to enter Kenya.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/03/eggs-removed-from-european-shelves-over-toxicity-fears-fipronil


Good Luck!

Comments

  • Yellow fever vaccine has been unavailable for months and is nothing to do with the egg crisis in Europe. If you look on the forum for past posts you can see suggestions.
  • thanks, British
    I'll keep reading, did not see anything ... with an specific solution or alternative. But it is a concern because they don't want to give it up to 4-6 weeks prior to trip, and if the cannot get it...? than the Apocalipse....:)))
  • edited October 2017
    mel0849 wrote:
    thanks, British
    I'll keep reading, did not see anything ... with an specific solution or alternative. But it is a concern because they don't want to give it up to 4-6 weeks prior to trip, and if the cannot get it...? than the Apocalipse....:)))

    Who do you mean by 'They?' Yellow fever vaccine can be given any time and now is deemed to last for a lifetime of protection, not just the ten years that it was supposed to last until recently. If you can find the vaccine, get it as soon as you can. It can only be found at licensed Yellow fever vaccine approved clinics anyway. Consult your local Travel Health.
  • Hi, mel0849 -
    To find clinics in the US, try the web page for US CDC ("Centers for Disease Control") at

    https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/search-for-stamaril-clinics

    Per that page - "Because of a total depletion of YF-Vax until mid-2018, the manufacturer (Sanofi Pasteur) has worked with the CDC to make an alternative yellow fever vaccine, Stamaril, available at select locations until YF-Vax supply returns in mid-2018".

    - Redwood -
  • There is a recent string about the lack of yellow fever vaccine on the Zambia-Botswana-South Africa forum. I recently took the stamaril alternative and my WHO sheet was stamped for Yellow Fever protection. Finding a clinic that actually has the stamaril turns out to be a chore. The CDC list is apparently out of date. The clinics who run out of stamaril vaccine do not necessarily know which clinics have it. I encountered one clinic where the physician took applications and decided himself which candidates were worthy to get the vaccine. (After being told twice to "call back again next week" by that particular clinic, I became very aggressive about finding a clinic who would take me and drove immediately to get it once the vaccine was located.)

    I was told that the sudden shortage of Yellow Fever vaccine occurred when Sanofi's warehouse lost climactic control and their entire inventory had to be discarded. (Sanofi also makes the stamaril substitute which is not approved by the FDA in the United States.) It takes time to re-grow the strains of vaccine. That is why some areas have been told that delays could endure for a year. (They may be referring to delays on Yellow Fever vaccine, but stamaril is also becoming scarce in some cities.)
  • British dear... " They" are the Travel clinics.. which are a total scam. I did called 3 and then a couple more and same. 4-6 weeks prior to departure..

    Redwood - Thank you so much.... at least something is being done about it.


    Thanks everyone.
  • Got it in Fairfield, CT for anyone in the tri-city area. Travel Health.[img][/img]/Users/douglassue/Desktop/Screen Shot 2017-12-22 at 10.09.47 AM.png
    Can't read the International Vac Cert, seems to say under manufacturer, Scuofi Pasteur M5176IV. Had to sign a waiver that said it was a "clinical trial", and imported from the UK, I believe, because it wasn't formally approved in the U.S., although has been used for years in Europe.
  • I just got my YF. vac. ... Yeah!!
    @ Costco for $150.00 Vac.- Consult . Everything
    Done.
  • edited January 2018
    mel0849 wrote:
    British dear... " They" are the Travel clinics.. which are a total scam. I did called 3 and then a couple more and same. 4-6 weeks prior to departure..

    Redwood - Thank you so much.... at least something is being done about it.


    Thanks everyone.

    mel0849. Good to see you got your YF shot and looks like you had a really bad experience with your Travel Clinic. We live in Asheville, NC and have a Travel Clinic that is part of a large Infectious Disease Practice. We used them earlier this year before going to S. Africa and Zimbabwe and were quite pleased with their professionalism and services. Regarding YF, we were told that the side effects of the injection after age 60 tend to be more serious and were advised not to get the shot due to age and low risk countries. This is from the CDC website:

    "Is yellow fever vaccine recommended for people 60 years and older who will be traveling to areas with risk for yellow fever?

    People aged ≥60 years may be at increased risk for serious adverse events (serious disease or, very rarely, death) following vaccination, compared with younger persons. This is particularly true if they are receiving their first yellow fever vaccination. Travelers aged ≥60 years should discuss with their healthcare provider the risks and benefits of the vaccine given their travel plans. In addition to considering the vaccine, travelers to endemic areas should protect themselves from yellow fever and other vector-borne diseases. Preventive measures include wearing clothes with long sleeves and long pants and using an effective insect repellent such as those with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus."

    The bottom line is to discuss this with a healthcare professional and reach a decision that is right for you.
  • My husband and are are 70/73 years old. I read the CDC statements regarding the risks of receiving the Yellow Fever vaccine to older adults.
    I also read that persons coming from the US did not have to have the vaccine. We didn't get the vaccine.
    Now I am feeling very nervous about being turned away!
    We are leaving Jan 23 for the Jan 27 trip to Tanzania and Kenya.
    Any comments? Please advise.
  • edited January 2018
    Hi. You have obviously read all the forum on this subject. Do you at least have a letter that says you have a waiver because of your age, that may help if you are asked. With all I have read about the vaccine, the risks are very overstated. I have had the vaccine but I would get it at your age because I would be heartbroken to not be able to get into the country if I had not had the vaccine. And, we have been to so many countries now where there is a risk of Yellow Fever. I have never ever heard that US citizens do not have to have the Yellow Fever vaccine. I do not believe that is true for one minute. The Yellow fever bug must be the most amazing organism on the planet if it can recognize an American and decide not to infect them.
  • edited January 2018
    British wrote:
    Hi. You have obviously read all the forum on this subject. Do you at least have a letter that says you have a waiver because of your age, that may help if you are asked. With all I have read about the vaccine, the risks are very overstated. I have had the vaccine but I would get it at your age because I would be heartbroken to not be able to get into the country if I had not had the vaccine. And, we have been to so many countries now where there is a risk of Yellow Fever. I have never ever heard that US citizens do not have to have the Yellow Fever vaccine. I do not believe that is true for one minute. The Yellow fever bug must be the most amazing organism on the planet if it can recognize an American and decide not to infect them.

    Also, from what I have read, the "risks" of the vaccine are known and it is also known who may be affected- those with certain conditions and health issues ((anti-immune system problems, reaction to egg-based vaccines, etc. which also happen affect people of certain ages- very young and old). There may be some rare exceptions, but from everything I read, it is not a random thing and someone who knows your condition/history (your doctor/travel doctor) should be fairly certain whether you should avoid this vaccine- it is not a hard and fast "over the age of . . ." issue.

    From our experience there are a fair number of doctors who travel with Tauck, yet none have ever weighed in on this topic. Maybe they don't frequent the forums. I'm sure they could say something on the topic that wouldn't be a violation or result in legal action.
  • WE ARE TRAVELLING TO TANZANIA AND KENYA IN AUGUST. WHEN CHECKING INTO THE YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION, WE FIND A WORLDWIDE SHORTAGE AND MOST PLACES TO NOT HAVE THE MEDICINE. IS ANYONE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING ?
  • Our TD was adamant about not needing the yellow fever vaccine for either Tanzania or Kenya. No one checked for our vaccinations at customs in either of the countries. The only exception was if you had traveled to a country or region of a country where yellow fever was present/prevalent. I think the CDC says that, doesn’t it? Perhaps check it out if you haven’t already. I hope it’s still the case.
  • 1. We are on the June 16 departure for Tanzania/Kenya tour. We were told by our county health department in Kansas that the yellow card proving yellow fever vaccination will be required and if we don't have it, we could be vaccinated at the airport and put in a hotel for ten days of quarrantine before we could enter the country. I read on the CDC bulletin that we wouldn't need it coming from the U.S. but it appears to me that the hitch comes when traveling from Tanzania to Kenya. At that point we would be traveling from a country that has yellow fever and the problem would be getting into Kenya.

    2. Today, we got our hepatitis A and typhoid vaccinations as recommended by CDC at our county health department.

    3. That office confirmed the shortage of yellow fever vaccine which is expected to continue until mid-summer. We learned that Stamaril, a satisfactory substitute is available, but the closest places we can get it are Kansas City, Oklahoma City or Tulsa. It is not available in Wichita. We made an appointment to drive 230 miles to Kansas City next week to get it from Passport Health, who will issue the yellow card when the vaccine is administered.

    I hope people on our tour don't run in to problems.
  • I HAVE WRITTEN TO THE KENYA EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON D.C. IF YELLOW FEVER VACCINE REQUIRED

    I ADVISED THEM WE WILL LEAVE USA LANDING TANZANIA STAY 7 DAYS AND THEN TRAVEL INTO KENYA. I ASKED THE DIRECT QUESTION AND ASKED FOR A DEFINITIVE ANSWER
    HERE IT IS

    Commerce Kenya Embassy <commerce@kenyaembassydc.org>
    To:
    F. michael Hoffman

    Feb 22 at 3:37 PM

    It is not required.



    Commerce Department
    Kenya Embassy, Washington DC
    2249 R Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20008
    Tel. (202) 387-6101
    Fax. (202) 462-3829
    http://www.kenyaembassydc.org
    Facebook: Kenya Embassy, Washington D.C.
    Twitter: @Kenyaembassy DC

    IF NOT GOING FROM USA, CHECK YOUR COUNTRY HEALTH SERVICE TO MAKE SURE IT IS NOT LISTED AS A COUNTRY WITH AN ENDEMIC FOR YELLOW FEVER
  • 1. The requirement can change over night.

    2. The person who checks your docs is not going to be the person in the Kenya Embassy.

    3. We were asked for ‘proof’ upon arrival, but the info we had before departure said it was not required.

    4. Do what you think is best. (;-)
  • We were asked for proof arriving at the airport in Arusha from Nairobi (ours was a more circuitous trip)....they met us at the terminal door asking for verification. Again, do what you think is best...
  • I think we have to start looking at this differently. The chances of getting Yellow fever are small, but the chances of being asked to prove vaccinations in the various countries are unknown and random. Two of the people who post regularly on this forum have said right here they were asked about the vaccine on entering the country and so was the whole bus full of people when we were crossing the border from Zambia to Botswana. The trouble is, everyone had had the vaccine, so we still do not know what exactly happens if you have not had the vaccine at these borders. Of the very small number of Tauck clients out there who use this forum, is there anyone who has seen what happens if someone has not had the vaccine?
    Me, I don’t want to get Yellow fever. I don’t want to be sent home at my expense. I don’t want to risk getting a shot from someone in a third world country. That’s what each person has to decide.
  • British wrote:
    I think we have to start looking at this differently. The chances of getting Yellow fever are small, but the chances of being asked to prove vaccinations in the various countries are unknown and random. Two of the people who post regularly on this forum have said right here they were asked about the vaccine on entering the country and so was the whole bus full of people when we were crossing the border from Zambia to Botswana. The trouble is, everyone had had the vaccine, so we still do not know what exactly happens if you have not had the vaccine at these borders. Of the very small number of Tauck clients out there who use this forum, is there anyone who has seen what happens if someone has not had the vaccine?
    Me, I don’t want to get Yellow fever. I don’t want to be sent home at my expense. I don’t want to risk getting a shot from someone in a third world country. That’s what each person has to decide.

    Well said. Ditto!!!
  • THIS QUESTION OF NOT NEEDED OR REQUIRED ON YELLOW FEVER VAC. SEEMS TO BE VERY LIQUID . THESE LAST TWO POST ARE FROM PEOPLE WHO APPARENTLY HAD REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE IN THIS MATTER.
    MAY I ASK IF THEY HAD THE SHOT AND CERTIFICATE WITH THEM AND WOULD THEY HAVE BE DENIED ENTRY TO T OR K . IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY TRAVELERS WITH THEM DENIED ENTRY THAT DID NOT HAVE THE CERTIFICATE
  • FROM PREVIOUS POST I AM THINKING THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL COUNTRIES IN AFRICAN TOUCK VISITS . ARE WE ALL SPEAKING APPLE AND ORANGE. I AM SPEAKING ONLY FROM LEAVING USA, LANDING TANZANIAN CROSSING BORDER TO KENYA AND THEN BACK TO USA NO OTHER STOPS IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY. DOES THAT CHANGE SOME OF THE ANSWERS
  • edited March 2018
    Pat2Mike wrote:
    THIS QUESTION OF NOT NEEDED OR REQUIRED ON YELLOW FEVER VAC. SEEMS TO BE VERY LIQUID . THESE LAST TWO POST ARE FROM PEOPLE WHO APPARENTLY HAD REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE IN THIS MATTER.
    MAY I ASK IF THEY HAD THE SHOT AND CERTIFICATE WITH THEM AND WOULD THEY HAVE BE DENIED ENTRY TO T OR K . IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY TRAVELERS WITH THEM DENIED ENTRY THAT DID NOT HAVE THE CERTIFICATE

    No one on our tour was denied entry. You'll need to go back through the K&T forum archives, but I believe, and I may be wrong, there have been at least a few reports of shot cards being examined for yellow fever inoculation upon entry into Kenya or Tanzania, though I also believe all/most had the YF inoculations. But I also believe you'll find at least one report of someone entering one of those countries who had to get a shot at the border- though I don't know where you would get a shot there. I know I am talking about a different tour and different countries, but when I was researching the Botswana, South Africa, Zambia tour, where I will be landing in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe instead of Livingstone, Zambia, I ran across a travel blog where the writer and a friend who were going to/from(?) Zimbabwe/Zambia had to get shots at a local clinic near the border.

    The bottom line is you are taking an unnecessary chance of ruining the trip of a lifetime, not to mention wasting a lot of money, if you are denied entry because you did not get the shot or if you have a medical condition that precludes it and don't have documentation acceptable at the border. Again, that means you should see a certified travel doctor. I have experienced and observed similar situations in other third world countries (a distinction whose impact should not be underestimated!) Just because the US State Department, country government or embassy website, etc.. etc. official policy says one thing, it doesn't mean it will be followed or followed correctly at the low level. Also, as the State Dept says, the country policy can change and change quickly (overnight if there is an outbreak). There is often no arguing or trying to reason with some of these employees- you do it their way, or you don't do it at all. When has anyone convinced a TSA agent that it is ok to take something on a plane that he doesn't "think" is allowed, especially when there are 50 impatient people in line behind you! When you try to challenge them or their policy by saying, "It says (on the U.S. State Department, their country's website, etc.) that (this shot) is not required." His response could easily be, "Mr. American Tourist, I don't work for your State Department. You are in my country now, at my post. I'm in charge and I decide who can enter."

    (fyi, using all caps is considered bad form on most public forums/billboards- it is the text equivalent of shouting.)
  • Pat2mike. Our yellow fever cards always remain with our passports whenever we leave the US. We were not asked to produce the yellow fever card in K and T but we were on the Botswana trip. It's random. Several people here have told you they were asked for proof on the K and T tour, what more do you want to know? It's up to you, I don't like stress and love to travel, so I have been to many countries now that require the yellow fever vaccination and I can travel without the stress of worrying about being turned away or being given a shot from a possible contaminated needle. On our last trip to Africa, I've been five times, for example, one of our group had to go to the local hospital, wouldn't you know she was the one who risked not taking out travel insurance. A urinary tract infection was suspected, she said the hospital was dirty and the container she was given to provide a specimen was filthy, that is the kind of place you might be offered a shot, yuck no!
    Obviously this is the first time you are visiting a country that requires a yellow fever shot, but there are many more. I suggest that if you are not comfortable that you either restrict your travel to safer countries or stay in the US. People on the forum can only offer what they have witnessed and like I said, only a few of the thousands who travel with Tauck use the forum or even know it exists.
    Read the extensive proper research on the risks of the Yellow fever vaccine yet again and see that the risks are minute providing you do not have unknown underlying health problems that only you and your Dr know about. Then see a travel D. Our own family Dr is pretty useless when it comes to travel advice, we usually tell him what we need for our Malaria meds for example and he just writes us the script.
    Please don't try to get the answer from us that you do not need a yellow fever shot because you do.
  • British and AlanS have been following the topic of Yellow Fever vaccinations (and the Stamaril substitute) for quite a while. Read their findings AND use the search function at the top of the travel forum to see the other threads on this topic. Tauck offers three tours in Africa plus yellow fever vaccination is recommended for Panama. The question will keep on recurring.

    There are places (and people) in Africa where the local gatekeeper uses the lack of proof of vaccination as a way to extract a bribe. These people are low on the financial totem pole, but they have "the power" temporarily to make your visit unpleasant. In the Tauck group, the TD typically handles these individuals. On your own is where issues could arise -- e.g., going over to Zimbabwe while staying at the hotel in Zambia.

    Please read the debate and make your own decision as there can be no definitive answer for everybody. No matter what the official consulate answer may be, the confrontation could happen locally and travelers should be ready to cope with them.
  • KathrynH wrote:
    British and AlanS have been following the topic of Yellow Fever vaccinations (and the Stamaril substitute) for quite a while. Read their findings AND use the search function at the top of the travel forum to see the other threads on this topic. Tauck offers three tours in Africa plus yellow fever vaccination is recommended for Panama. The question will keep on recurring.

    There are places (and people) in Africa where the local gatekeeper uses the lack of proof of vaccination as a way to extract a bribe. These people are low on the financial totem pole, but they have "the power" temporarily to make your visit unpleasant. In the Tauck group, the TD typically handles these individuals. On your own is where issues could arise -- e.g., going over to Zimbabwe while staying at the hotel in Zambia.

    Please read the debate and make your own decision as there can be no definitive answer for everybody. No matter what the official consulate answer may be, the confrontation could happen locally and travelers should be ready to cope with them.

    Yup!

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file