ABCs of Yellow Fever Vaccination

If you’re planning a travel adventure and are looking for a unique and exotic experience, chances are you’ve considered visiting some of the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa or South America.  Whether you want to trek through the Brazilian rainforest or catch a wave on the West African coast, these two regions of the world have a lot to offer tourists, including diverse natural landscapes, cultures and histories. However, these areas are also both labeled by the Center for Disease Control as regions with endemic prevalence of the disease yellow fever.  Luckily, learning about the disease and getting vaccinated is as easy as ABC!

Yellow fever is a viral disease transmitted by the bite of female mosquitos. Some primates are also known to carry the disease. Those infected experience a range of symptoms, most often fever, nausea vomiting, and body aches lasting several days.  After the initial symptomatic period, many patients get better without any further complications, but some enter a second “toxic” stage, which initiates liver failure; the resulting jaundice is the reason the disease was named “yellow.”  Patients who experience this toxic phase of the disease are at increased risk of hemorrhaging, and may bleed internally and vomit blood, while also experiencing any combination of other symptoms like delirium, seizures, kidney and liver failure, coma and eventually death. The World Health Organization’s statistics report approximately 30,000 yellow fever deaths annually.

 Since there is no cure or therapy, and no way to tell whether an individual will heal quickly or experience the toxic phase of the disease, vaccination is very important for all travelers with high-risk destinations. The yellow fever vaccination is a live, weakened version of the virus given as an injection by a certified travel doctor.  Side effects of the vaccine, if any, are generally mild and may include fever, aches or soreness and swelling at the site of injection. In extremely rare cases, about one person out of 125,000, severe nervous system reactions have been reported. The vaccination takes 10-14 days to be fully effective, so be sure to schedule appointment with plenty of time before take-off. Once you’ve been immunized, the vaccine is good for ten years.

Some countries have deemed yellow fever such a big problem that they’ve developed laws requiring proof of immunization before you can enter the country.  Be sure to check your itinerary thoroughly against the Center for Disease Control’s website and talk to your travel health provider, because some countries have requirements about traveling through high-risk countries, even if you’ve just passed through the airport on layover to your final destination. When you receive your yellow fever vaccination your travel doctor should also give you a yellow card, signed and stamped, that will read “International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis.”  This card acts as proof of your travel immunizations from a travel clinic, and will be needed for entry into countries with laws requiring the yellow fever vaccine.  Anyone without proof of vaccination that wishes to enter a country with a vaccine requirement may be forced to be revaccinated and detained for up to six days for observation to be sure that they are not infected, so if you want to save a lot of time and trouble, don’t forget your yellow card!  Since yellow fever is not a prevalent disease in North America, a family medicine provider may not be equipped with the vaccine and certification materials necessary for travelers headed to far-off lands.

That’s why a travel clinic staffed by practitioners who specialize in travel health medicine is often a better choice when you’re looking to get vaccinated for yellow fever in NYC.  If you live in or around New York City, consider the Travel Clinic of New York as the place to learn about and obtain your travel vaccines.  When you find a travel clinic NYC, you can make a convenient same-day, evening or weekend appointment with a travel health provider who will teach you the ABCS of yellow fever vaccination and certification, and help you plan for your travel health and safety wherever the wind takes you! Call (212) 696-5900 for your appointment today!  

Living in New York and need a vaccination? Visit a travel clinic

In the United States most schools require proof of certain immunizations before allowed enrollment. Almost all elementary schools and now many colleges require their students to get vaccinations to ensure preserve health on campus and on the playground. Because of these standards, we know that most Americans were administered vaccination shots when they were children. And these vaccinations are important for our health. Thanks to miracle-like vaccination shots that build up our immunities multiple types of bacteria and viruses that used to infect and kill millions of people worldwide no longer have much impact on developed societies. If you haven’t received vaccinations, now is the time.

The problem many of us face as we get older is trying to remember which vaccinations we’ve received and which we haven’t. All I can remember about my booster shots as a child is playing in a large boat in the waiting room, the smell of rubbing alcohol, a mean pinch on my arm or butt, and then finally walking past reception sucking on a lollipop while admiring my new colorful band aide. I have no idea what immunizations I’ve had. My mother doesn’t remember, and I’ve changed doctors so many times my current health records only go back about 7 years. So what does one do in these circumstances?

The best way to get your needed immunizations is by visiting a travel clinic, which deals with adult vaccinations routinely. This type of clinic specializes in patient health while abroad, but also provides domestically recommended shots. There are recommended doses for people who are uncertain about what shots they’ve had. These clinics are trained to access your needs and provide you with precise dosage of disease preventative medications and travel immunizations.

Don’t assume you have had all the proper vaccinations or that you were administered the right amount. Most shots are administered in three doses with years in between each. You may have missed the last one.

Many adults, for example, are inadequately vaccinated against tetanus, a disease caused by bacterium that grows in contaminated wounds. Most children in the United States have had a booster shot prior to entering school, and incidences of the disease in the United States have dropped dramatically because of it. But many older adults and immigrant persons applying for residency in the U.S. have not had this important, life-saving immunization. Adults over 65 are at particular risk of contracting the disease as the immunization can wear off.

If you are traveling and are uncertain of what vaccinations you’ve had, visiting a travel clinic is especially important. Certain countries harbor diseases easily avoidable with the right injection. If you know you’ve had a certain vaccination, you may need an update if you are traveling to areas that are high risk for certain diseases. For example, there are polio-endemic areas in the world that the Center for Disease Control recommends getting a polio vaccination prior to visiting, even if you know you had one as a child. If your last vaccine was 10 years ago or longer, you should consult with a travel doctor before taking off.

Whether you are sure or unsure of what vaccinations you need, you should visit this travel clinic in New York. You will be helped by a board certified doctor with wide-ranging experience and knowledge on every vaccination available. If you are traveling, or plan to travel in the future, their staff will tell you exactly what you need for everywhere you wish to go.

Log onto vaccinations for travel NYC or call 1-212-696-5900 to make an appointment. It’s just two blocks from the Grand Central Terminal at 42^nd street, a convenient location for in town and out of town commuters.

Immunizations are a blessing for humankind. Take advantage, protect your health.