Hello,

I am going to Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa (in that order) in September. I had scheduled a travel clinic appointment to get various vaccinations and was surprised when the clinic told me I did not need a yellow fever vaccine. I also validated this on the CDC website (see that here: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbo...low-fever.aspx ) . The clinic used a computer program that checks with the CDC and some other paid service to check what is required (I am in Wisconsin).

I did some research on my own and it looks like Zambia used to be a yellow fever endemic country but was taken off the World Health Organization's list of yellow fever countries in 2003. I've read different forums where it sounds like people still get the vaccination just to be sure they don't run into issues on their trip.

What do others think? Should I get the vaccine or is the travel clinic correct and I don't need this? Right now I am not planning on getting it based off of what the clinic told me and the CDC website says.

We are going to the same countries in the same order in September! We visit the travel clinic next Friday and will report back with their advice. Where are you staying in each country?

I visited the travel clinic a month ago for a trip in October to Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique and Swaziland. The doctor checked twice and could find no requirement for yellow fever. However, my niece in Canada went to a clinic there and was required to have one.

If CDC, WHO, AND your doctor say that yellow fever is not endemic in any of these countries, it's safe to say you don't need the vaccine.

You could get the vaccine in case you want to travel to other areas that have yellow fever (e.g., South America, central Africa) in the future.

As a physician, I always go with the CDC and WHO recommendations. There's no reason to get--and pay for--the vaccination "in case" if yellow fever does not exist in the countries to which you will be traveling.

Note also that yellow fever vaccine is a live vaccine that carries a small, but real, possibility of side effects, including death.

I am traveling to Nambia solely in August and though yellow fever vaccination is not needed - my passport health advisor was suggesting it in case the plane had to make an emergency landing in central Africa where it is needed. Not sure what would happen. Debating still - since someday I will go to South America and it does last 10 years. It's the 'live' vaccine part that worries me.

Jbean,

In the unlikely case that your plane has to make an emergency landing, I suspect yellow fever will be the least of your worries. I wouldn't think that's a good enough reason for getting the vaccination. Many going on safari and elsewhere fly over countries with yellow fever. I've never heard that advice before.

Except for one trip report that I recall where the poster deplaned in Burundi by mistake, can't recall a plane landing at an unexpected airport/countrt. Sure wish some of these consultants wouldn't be so alarmist... sounds more like "urban legends."

Yes, YF is a live vaccine and most healthy people have absolutely no issue with it. However, if one is allergic to eggs or if over 60/yrs, would it be best not to have this jab... a note on your physician's letterhead to this effect will suffice.

As to visiting other countries that might require a YF inoc for entry, this is usually during the same trip and within a limited number of days, i.e., 6/days. So if heading elsewhere a year from this upcoming trip, YF wouldn't be an issue. Though YF is an expensive jab, and a good deal over the 10/yrs it's good for... you don't need it for this holiday.