PeteFoley

We are due to travel to Tanzania in September as part of a safari that will start in Kenya about 5 days earlier. However, my wife is currently fighting breast cancer, and because of the chemotherapy regime she will be on prior to the trip, will not be allowed to have a yellow fever vaccination. She can of course get a waiver from her doctor, and an official stamped government waiver from a Yellow Fever vaccination center, but I have been told by experienced travelers that this may not be enough to secure entry into Tanzania. Has anyone recently had experience of entering Tanzania using a waiver, and was this difficult? We have also requested a supporting letter from the Tanzanian Embassy in Washington, but as yet have not received any information back from them. We obviously don't want to end up being detained at the border, and an enforced vaccination at the border could pose a serious, even life threatening risk to her, so we definitely want to avoid that. This was meant to be a reward for all that she has been through in recent months, but now I'm concerned if could backfire, so am looking for any on the ground experience we can get.

cary999

FWIW, I could easily spend the Tanzania time in Kenya.

regards - tom

qwovadis

She simply needs to obtain the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) medical contraindication to vaccination form and have it filled out by her MD.This is the
official form easy to get and accepted everywhere including
Tanzania.The airport and medical clinics in Kanya have this
"waiver" form also.10 KES for me when there last.

www.cdc.gov

www.mdtravelhealth.com

Good info and happy travels!

atravelynn

Is the itinerary already set and paid for? If not, I think I'd reduce the stress and concern with special forms requirements and just travel in Kenya. Sept is a beautiful time of year there. It's when I chose to go on my last trip. A Kenya only itinerary will provide the reward you are looking for.

Maybe it is as easy as qwovadis states, but I am always leery of exceptions that can be approved or disapproved by government officials, when a lot is at stake.

It would be nice to get feedback from people who have obtained and used this form.

Please let us know what you decide.

cary999

The other choice could be just do Tanzania, or, Tanzania first (then Kenya). Because if you're flying into TZ from USA or Europe you will not need yellow fever inoculation. Check the TZ details about when yellow fever cert required.

regards - tom

WindowlessOffice

Nothing to add on the waiver front, but I wanted to chime in with my best wishes for your wife.

I'm going to be in Kenya in September, myself, and I'm imagining you both there in the best of health at that time.

sandi

Even if only visiting Tanzania, the newest requirement (see Tanzania Embassy, Wash DC website... scroll to "medical alert") is that ALL visitors, regardless from where, must now have the YF inoculation. Up till this latest, as 2/4/11 advise from TATO, it was only those entering from an endemic country, but now changed.

All you will need is the waiver letter on doctor's letterhead as to why YF is not recommended. This can be due to allergy (it's live) to eggs, age (over 60/yrs per the CDC site), or contraindicated due to other meds being taken.

They will not insist your wife have the inoc on the spot.

Percy

I agree with sandi

There are many reasons why one cannot have or should not have a Yellow fever Vaccine.

Cancer and Chemotherapy is one of those excellent reasons.

No one is going to insist that you "endanger" your health to receive a vaccine that "might " save your health.

A letter waiver from your Doctor is all you need.

atravelynn

Glad to learn that a waiver is no big deal. Didn't know there were other reasons such as allergy or age that prevent vaccine. If there is a no vaccine over 60 recommendation, then 20% of the visitors will have a waiver, so it will be common.

Best wishes to you and your wife for good health and a wonderful trip.

ShellCat

After all the requirements for Tanzania, I would go back to South Africa in a heartbeat. I hope I like the change of scenary as much as I love the southern region.

Percy

Good Luck to your wife,she is brave and courageous to be fighting Breast cancer and going to Tanzania.

Your wife's immune systems is already compromised just by the fact that she is taking Chemotherapy.

Remember the old adage in Medicine and it's number one Principal

"Primim non nocere "

which means "First do not Harm"

atravelynn:

You can get or take the Yellow fever vaccine if you are over 60

If you are 60-70 in good health and you WANT the Yellow fever vaccine , you can have it.
However, if you are ,say 65 and do NOT want the Yellow Fever vaccine , then your age is a good reason for you not to have it.!

A healthy senior kind of has it both ways !!!

PeteFoley

WOW, first of all, I have to say thank you to everyone for the advice. I'm overwhelmed by how helpful the advice is, and by how helpful everybody is. A lot of ideas to think about. Unfortunately flights and trip are already paid for, but we are going to look at whether we get get a break from the airline or travel company, and perhaps switch to just Kenya, just to reduce the stress and uncertainty. There has been a lot of that going around recently

If anyone has recent personal experience of entering Tanzania on a vaccination waiver recently, I'd also love to hear what their experience was. I think that would make my better half a bit less nervous, just knowing what the actual process is since they changed the rules in Feb, as well as the official policy.

Thank you all once again, extremely helpful and kind, and I'll come back and tell you the outcome.

Cheers, Pete

atravelynn

Since you mention "travel company," certainly enlist their help.

Please let us know how your trip goes!

cary999

Again, FWIW, I've been to both Kenya and Tanzania and they both have the same look and feel, i.e. Serengeti and Masai Mara. Which is not surprising since they share northern borders. The very very unique thing about TZ is the Ngorongoro Crater, IMHO.

regards - tom

sandi

Yes, healthy Seniors can have the YF inoc if they wish, especially so if where visiting it's likely they can/may contract the disease, which is unlikely on the various tourist areas, whether in Kenya or Tanzania.

If a 50-55/yr old previously had and no side-effects then, can have the booster YF after age 60-65/yrs.

However, even if with having had the first and if for some reason one had a side-effect, they'd fit in category of "should not have after age 60."

And, then there are those who are allergic to eggs (this jab is a no no), or contraindications with other meds/treatments (another no no!)

AKR1

When we were in Tanzania last July, a couple of members of our party had allergy to eggs and got a letter from their Doctor on letterhead. No problem at JKIA.

PeteFoley

Thank you all again, going to talk to our travel company tomorrow

PeteFoley

Thanks again, in the end, her surgery, radiation and gene tests meant she was able to skip chemo with no additional risk, so will be able to sneak in a yellow fever shot before we leave. However, our small travel company was also extremely helpful, and if we'd needed it, were willing to make all sorts of time and/or itinerary changes to accommodate our problem. I was pleasantly surprised at how flexible they were, so if anyone is facing a similar challenge, I'd certainly advise having a chat with the travel company.

cary999

Thanks for the follow-up PF

regards - tom

TC

Pete, My best wishes to your wife as she recovers. During our trip to Tanzania no one (and I do mean not one person) ever looked at our vaccine schedule or asked for any proof that we had gotten any shots at all. Maybe that was just a fluk, but I don't think so. Really, no one seemed to care if we got yellow fever and took it home Sounds like you have it all in order now, but don't worry one way or the other.

I hope you and your wife love every minute in Africa. We did.