Yellow Fever Vaccinations
What is Yellow Fever?
Yellow fever. It has an average of 200,000 cases per year which results in a shocking 30,000 deaths yearly!
According to CDC, 90% of these deaths occur in Africa. This is not to say that yellow fever is in Africa alone. People visiting Central and South America should be aware of the yellow fever virus too.
The statistics above are no joke and are very serious. Your survival depends on it. There is no cure for the Yellow Fever, but this is more of a reason why it is beyond critical to prevent it. We’ll touch more on this later in this article.
So what is Yellow Fever, and why is it a huge deal?
The impact of yellow fever on people has cases where it can cause your organs to bleed from the inside severely—scientifically also known as haemirrhagic (heh-mr-a-juhk) disease. Those who travel without the yellow fever vaccination around Africa tend to contract the virus, experiencing several symptoms. Half of those people die within 7 to 10 days of contracting the virus.
See all severe symptoms here.
Why is Yellow Fever called Yellow?
What’s so yellow about the yellow fever virus? Those who have a severe case of the yellow fever virus experience the conditions of Jaundice.
Jaundice is when the colour of your skin or the whiteness of your eyes turns yellow. It’s not always the case that it’s from yellow fever. The change of your skin colour or eyes is seen in liver diseases too.
If you’re experiencing yellow-tinted skin or eyes, please seek medical attention immediately.
Are Jaundice and Yellow Fever the same?
No, they are not the same. Jaundice is a condition of Yellow Fever and other diseases too. It’s still as deadly as it was back in the 1600s when it first came around. There are cures to Jaundice, but there is no cure for the virus to this date if you have Yellow Fever.
Transmission of Yellow Fever from Mosquitoes
Most commonly, the only time we know when a mosquito has bitten us is when we see big bites on our bodies. Or if we’ve experienced a bite(s) and contracted the yellow fever virus.
Two species of mosquitoes spread the virus of yellow fever, and these are as follows:
- Aedes Aegypti
- Haemagogus
Mosquitoes generally get the virus by feeding on either human or non-human primates. They fly around and feed off other people, transmitting the virus from one source to another during the daytime.
It’s known that the virus is not transmittable from one person over to the other. The only transmission of the Yellow Fever virus would be from the bites of either two of the mosquito species, Aedes Aegypti or Haemagogus.
Mosquito Species: Aedes Aegypti
Aedes Aeypti is a small dark creature, identified by the white stripes around its legs and a white pattern that follows its body.
The Aedes Aeypti live out in the beautiful tropics that we love to enjoy during our summer breaks. Aedes Aeypti, also known as Aedes, can’t survive the winter. They tend to habit in places no less than 10 degrees celsius.
These dangerous mosquitos can’t survive cold altitudes. They tend to stay on the lower ground. Staying lower ground is how they come into contact with humans with ease. Aedes spend their lives around humans and lay their eggs around houses and nearby safe areas.
Mosquito Species: Haemagogus
The Haemagogus mosquitoes carry yellow fever. They’re found in parts of Central and South America and parts of Brazil too.
Haemagogus mosquitoes have long figure shapes and a silver/white sheen across their body. These mosquitoes have a shiny metallic texture on their bodies and are as dangerous as ever.
Symptoms and Side Effects of Yellow Fever Vaccine
Most people who find themselves infected with the virus pass through it. Or people tend to have mild symptoms and recover around the 3-6 days.
Some people often never experience fever symptoms (if you’ve taken the vaccination). In other circumstances, people can experience symptoms a few days after the bite. Here is a list of possible symptoms one can share by mosquitoes:
Severe Symptoms
- Fever
- Chills
- Headaches
- Body pains
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Vomiting
Mild Symptoms
- Jaundice, the turning of yellow skin and often yellow eyes too.
- Organ Failure
- Bleeding
- High Fever
Yellow Fever Treatments (No Cure)
Yellow Fever Treatment 1 – Rest and Fluids
The best way to tackle symptoms is by resting and taking in a lot of fluids. It’s the same as the common flu, and you must rest. If you’re experiencing pain or body aches, you can take off-the-shelf pain killers to help you relieve the pain.
Avoid using aspirin and anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen as this can increase the risk of bleeding; better to be safer than sorry.
Yellow Fever Treatment 2: Antiseptics
Using antiseptics isn’t a cure or a magic trick to prevent yellow fever. Antiseptics can help ease itchiness to avoid skin damage. This is a tip to help in more ways than one.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Clinic in Streatham & Norbury
Where can I get a yellow fever vaccination?
Most local pharmacies and chemists have the facilities of a travel clinic. You can book an appointment with them to get a yellow fever vaccination before travelling. The vaccine is only a preventative measure for contracting the yellow fever virus. It’s practical if you have taken the vaccination before your travels.
If local to Streatham or Norbury, you can book your yellow fever vaccinations with Westbury Chemist. Alternatively, find a vaccination centre closest to you.
When do I take the yellow fever vaccination?
According to the NHS, you must have the yellow fever vaccination at least ten days before travel. Taking the vaccine in advance allows it to start working in your system.
If you or your child have had an MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, you need to wait four weeks before taking the yellow fever vaccination.
How long does the yellow fever vaccination last?
The yellow fever vaccination is a lifelong vaccination for most people. It’s a single shot given by your local pharmacy or chemist at least ten days before travel.
But, a future smaller dose of the vaccine may be required when you’re travelling to high-risk areas. If you’re unsure, contact us, your local pharmacy, or chemist for advice.
Do I need the yellow fever vaccination?
You may have already had the yellow fever vaccination before. You will have a yellow fever certificate which you must carry when travelling to countries of high risk.
Also, you may need an extra vaccine dose before travelling. The smaller dose would be smaller than the first yellow fever vaccination. We recommend consulting your local pharmacy or doctor before booking a vaccination.
Who cannot take the yellow fever vaccination?
People:
- Babies under six months old
- with a weakened immune system, such as those with leukaemia or lymphoma
- whose immune system is weakened by treatment, such as steroids and chemotherapy
- who are allergic to any of the ingredients in the vaccine, including people with an egg allergy
- who’ve had a severe reaction to a previous dose of yellow fever vaccine
- with a thymus gland disorder or who’ve had their thymus gland removed
- over the age of 60 who are travelling to areas where the yellow fever vaccine is not generally recommended
- who have a close relative who has had a severe reaction to the vaccine causing damage to the brain or other organs
Source: NHS
Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate
To enter high-risk yellow fever countries, you must have your yellow fever certificate. It’s always a good idea to have this with you while travelling.
Pro Tip
Make a copy or scan all your vaccination certificates and save them on your Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox or any other form of cloud storage. This way, you will always have your copies in case you lose the originals.
The NHS confirmed that all vaccination certificates are now valid for life, even those with expiry on them.
Getting a yellow fever vaccination certificate is as simple as booking an appointment with Westbury Chemist. If you haven’t had a yellow fever vaccination yet, you will not get a certificate. Make sure you have your appointments scheduled before you travel.
Remember, you need to have had the yellow fever jab at least ten days before you travel so it can take full effect.
Misplaced or lost your yellow fever vaccination certificate? You can always get a replacement card provided you have:
- Batch number
- Date of vaccination
at hand.
High-Risk Areas of Yellow Fever
| Angola | Benin | Burkina Faso |
| Burundi | Cameroon | Central Africa, Republic |
| Chad | Congo, Republic Of | Cote d’Lvoire |
| Democratic Republic of Congo | Equatorial Guinea | Ethiopia |
| Gobon | Gambia | Ghana |
| Guinea | Guinea-Bissau | Kenya |
| Liberia | Mali | Mauritania |
| Niger | Nigeria | Senegal |
| Sierra Leone | South Sadan | Sudan |
| Togo | Uganda |
| Argentina | Bolivia | Brazil |
| Colombia | Ecuador | French Guiana |
| Guyana | Panama | Paraguay |
| Peru | Suriname | Trinidad & Tabago |
| Venezuela |
