Yellow Fever – Lifetime Vaccine
July 28, 2016
What has changed in regards to the Yellow Fever Vaccine?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) have decided to amend the amount of time that the Yellow Fever vaccine is valid for to lifetime. Alongside this news they have also changed the validity of the certificates from 10 years to lifetime.
What does this mean for me?
This now means that previously vaccinated persons are now still protected against Yellow Fever and will not need a new certificate or vaccine when travelling to countries where Yellow Fever is present or a certificate is required.
Am I at risk of catching Yellow Fever if I do not have a booster dose?
No. All previously vaccinated travelers who have not had a 10 year booster are not at any greater risk of catching Yellow Fever than those who have had the vaccine within the last 10 years. No booster doses are needed any more.
For many countries a Yellow Fever certificate may be required to enter into the country. It is always a good idea to take a photocopy or picture of your Yellow Fever certificate. This is because if your ceritificate is lost or stolen any Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre can write up a new certificate as long as there is evidence of the date you had the vaccine and the batch number of the vaccine.
