Fusion Pharmacy • May 4, 2022

Why Do You Need a Yellow Fever Vaccine Before Travelling Abroad?

If you’re travelling to an area where yellow fever is prevalent, there is an effective vaccine that can prevent you from contracting the sickness. The jab is injected into the upper arm. However, even if you’ve been vaccinated, it is critical to avoid insect bites because mosquitoes can also transmit other dangerous diseases. Continue reading to find out the yellow fever vaccine cost and where to get it.

Yellow fever symptoms – why get vaccinated?

Yellow fever symptoms often manifest between three to six days after infection.

They include the following:

A high temperature
Feeling sick or vomiting
A headache
Backache and muscle pain
Your eyes getting sensitive to light
Feeling generally unwell and loss of appetite
Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
Bleeding from the nose, eyes, mouth, or ears
Blood in faeces or vomiting blood

Consult a pharmacist or doctor immediately if you develop yellow fever symptoms while travelling in a region where the infection is widespread.

If you develop symptoms following a recent visit to one of these places, seek help from a GP or pharmacist as soon as possible.

Inform them of your precise travel itinerary, if you believe you were bitten by a mosquito, and any symptoms you are experiencing.

Who should be vaccinated against yellow fever?

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for individuals aged 9 months and older travelling to the following areas:

A region endemic to yellow fever, comprising parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Central America, and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.
A country that needs proof of yellow fever vaccination.

You should be immunised at least ten days prior to departure to allow the vaccination to take effect.

If you already received the MMR vaccine, you or your child must wait at least four weeks before receiving the yellow fever vaccine.

If a 4-week gap cannot be maintained, the yellow fever vaccine should be administered but an extra dose of MMR should be considered afterwards. Individuals at continued risk of yellow fever may potentially be considered for re-vaccination.

How long is the yellow fever vaccine effective?

For the majority of people, the yellow fever vaccine offers lifetime protection.

A booster dose of vaccination is advised for a small number of visitors visiting high-risk areas for yellow fever, including people who were previously vaccinated:

When they were pregnant
While living with HIV
When they were below the age of 2
While they had a weakened immune system
Before having a bone marrow transplant

Occasionally, a second dose of vaccination may be recommended if there is worry about the traveller’s chance of contracting yellow fever, for instance, if they are working or residing in a high-risk location for an extended period of time.

If you’re unsure whether you require another dose prior to travelling, contact us for help.

Who is ineligible for the yellow fever vaccine, Side Effects & Yellow fever vaccine cost

Certain individuals are ineligible to receive the yellow fever vaccine when it is recommended.

Those who cannot receive the vaccine include the following:

Infants under the age of six months.
Those with a compromised immune system, like those diagnosed with lymphoma or leukaemia.
Individuals whose immune systems have been impaired as a result of treatment with steroids or chemotherapy.
People who have an allergy to any of the vaccine’s ingredients, particularly those who are allergic to eggs.
Individuals who have experienced a bad reaction to a yellow fever vaccine before.
Individuals who have a disease of the thymus gland or who have had their thymus gland cut out.
Travellers over the age of 60 visiting places where yellow fever vaccination is not routinely recommended.
People who have a close family member who has suffered a severe reaction to the vaccination, resulting in brain or other organ damage.

If you require a vaccination certification for the country to which you are travelling but are unable to obtain the vaccine, please contact us for help and more information.

Yellow fever vaccine side effects

Although the yellow fever vaccine may produce some adverse effects, the danger of infection from not being vaccinated typically outweighs the risk of side effects.

Following vaccination, up to 1 for every 3 people develops:

A headache
A raised temperature
Muscle pain
Soreness at the injection site

These adverse effects typically subside within two weeks.

Rarely, a person may experience more severe side effects, such as an allergic response to one of the vaccine’s ingredients.

Yellow fever vaccine cost & how to get it it in the UK

The vaccine is only available in yellow fever vaccination centres that are registered, such as ours.

The jab is not covered by the NHS, therefore you will need to pay for it. For the majority of travellers, the vaccine gives lifetime protection, and hence there is no need for a booster dose.