Yellow Fever Vaccination

Yellow Fever vaccination is a preventive measure against yellow fever, an epidemic disease. This vaccination is required for the people who travel to the countries where this disease is prevalent. These are the countries in Africa and in South America. It is a mandatory requirement for a traveler to enter these countries and return back to their countries after the travel. A yellow fever vaccination certificate (yellow in color) will be issued by the authorised physician after immunizing the traveler with the vaccination. Without this certificate they will not be allowed to leave their country.

African countries : Yellow fever is endemic in 33 countries in Africa .

Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast (Cote D’Ivoire), Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan (South of 15 ° N), Togo, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia.

American countries: Yellow fever is endemic in 11 countries in South America :

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and Panama.

Immunity period of yellow fever vaccination: At least ten years.

Yellow fever is an epidemic disease caused by the bites of female mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti). They carry the fever virus from human to human. These mosquitoes live among humans in cities, towns, and villages and grow in discarded tires, flower pots, oil drums, and water storage containers close to human dwellings.

Symptoms: Symptoms of severe infection are high fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, vomiting, and backache. Jaundice and kidney like organ failures can occur in severe cases.

Incubation period: Once a person is infected with yellow fever virus, it takes about 3-6 days incubation period, to show the symptoms of illness.

Treatment : There is no known treatment for yellow fever. Only symptomatic treatment can be given. The best practice is prevention.

a) Avoiding mosquito bites, with the use of mosquito net, repellent etc.

b) Yellow fever vaccination

Validity of the Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate

A Yellow fever vaccination certificate is valid only if it conforms with the model. The validity period of international certificate of vaccination or re-vaccination against yellow fever is 10 years, beginning 10 days after vaccination.

You cannot get the vaccination for Yellow Fever in every hospital and clinic. There are certain authorized health centers in each country, where you have to go to get this vaccination done. You have to call the authorized center and book 1-2 days in advance, and a number will be .allotted to you. On the day of vaccination, you have to carry the following documents with you which will be asked -

1) Your original passport (mandatory)

2) Disposable syringe (In some places they will only provide)

On reaching there at the appointed time, you will have to meet the concerned physician who will give you a form to fill up, and will be required to pay the required fee (Rs.260/-). You will also be given a yellow card for certification. After paying the fee and filling the form, you can report to the same doctor, who will allot you another number of the waiting queu. According to that number you will be called for the vaccination. It is better to reach there earlier than your specified time, to get your work done fast.

After the vaccination please remember to collect back your Passport and the Yellow fever certificate.

Authorized Yellow fever vaccination centers are available in many of the cities in India. In some major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai etc. more than one center is available. The vaccination is given only on specific days of the week, in some places two days a week, and some other places just once a week. Therefore, you have to plan well in advance of your travel to get immunized.

List of centers. (Click and find out the addresses, Date, Time etc.)

Bangalore - (Wednesdays)
Public Health Institute (Opp: S.J.Polytechnique college),
Near Atria Hotel / K.R Circle, Bangalore-560001
Telephone Number 080-22210248 (close to Maharani College)
.

Chennai
Cochin
Delhi
Goa
Hyderabad
Jamnagar
Kandla
Kasauli
Kolkata
Lucknow
Murmugao
Mumbai
Porbander
Pune
Visakhapatnam