Yellow fever vaccine not recommended for people over 60

[Jingthing]

For me this is both a medical issue and a visa issue.

I will post here first about the medical issue and later about the visa issue in the visa subforum.

But some introduction is needed.

I am over 60 and interested in traveling to at least one South American nation that Thailand has a yellow fever vaccine certificate requirement for.

I have no plans to visit any high risk rain forest areas of any of these nations (where yellow fever may actually be a risk).

I was looking at the U.S. embassy website for one of those nations and they are quite clear in saying, do not get this vaccine if you are over 60, presumably because the risks in taking the vaccine are greater than the benefit.

This puts me in a bind if I want to travel to one or more of these nations while I'm still living in Thailand.

The reason I'm interested in visiting these countries is to explore alternatives to Thailand.

But this is the health forum, so I'm asking people to focus on the health aspects of going ahead with the vaccine ONLY, if anybody here can speak to that part of it.

I will add though if you are younger and think that someday you might want to travel to one of the many nations on the Thailand yellow fever certificate list, you might want to go ahead and get that vaccine just in case. 

Edited December 17, 2018 by Jingthing

[Sheryl]

Per the CDC (a more reliable source than Embassy website) age over 60 is not an outright contraindication to receiving the vaccine. Rather it is recommended that people aged over 60 consult their doctor about it first as they MIGHT be at above average risk for vaccine side effects. Ditto pregnant and breastfeeding women

 

The vaccine has a good safety profile and 60 these days is not very old. If you are otherwise healthy should not be a problem getting it. The "over 60 discuss with your doctor first" bit is designed with the frail elderly in mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Jingthing]

Thanks Sheryl.
Are there particular health conditions that would rule it out?

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[Sheryl]

"

A few people should not get the vaccine. Vaccine is not recommended for people who are:

• Allergic to a vaccine or something in the vaccine (like eggs)
• Aged 6 months or younger
• Organ transplant recipients
• Diagnosed with a malignant tumor
• Diagnosed with thymus disorder associated with abnormal immune function
• Diagnosed with a primary immunodeficiency
• Using immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies
• Showing symptoms of HIV infection or CD4+ T-lymphocytes less than 200/mm³ (less than 15% of total lymphocytes in children aged 6 years or younger)"

 

 

https://www.cdc.gov/yellowfever/vaccine/vaccine-recommendations.html

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, FredGallaher said:

Usually Yellow Fever vaccination only applies to people coming or going to Central South America or parts of Africa. It is not an endemic disease in Thailand. Its spread by the Aedes mosquitoes which are also found in Thailand so I'm sure Thai Health officials want vaccination records to assure you don't bring it here.

I'm not concerned with yellow fever. I'm concerned with THAI VISA regulations. They have a large list of nations where the vaccine is supposedly strictly required if you have recently traveled there. Some of them are kind of crazy. Such as Argentina. The typical tourist goes to Buenos Aires. But rules are rules. The topic of how strictly they enforce them (or not) is really for the visa subforum. 

[Jingthing]

I have determined that you're supposed to get the vaccine at least 10 days before traveling to an area of risk. I have no intention of traveling to an actual area of risk but I suppose if getting the vaccine might as well respect that. Currently in the U.S. the regular vaccine is not available but will be mid-2019. There is a replacement vaccine called Stameril available at limited clinics in the U.S. --

 

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/search-for-stamaril-clinics

 

Where in THAILAND can this vaccine be obtained along with the all import CERTIFICATE which n my case if I get it would be the only reason to do it?

[Sheryl]

https://www.medconsultasia.com/vaccinations

 

https://www.thaitravelclinic.com/cost.html

[Jingthing]

32 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

https://www.medconsultasia.com/vaccinations

 

https://www.thaitravelclinic.com/cost.html

Thanks.

Any place in Pattaya?

[Sheryl]

Not that I know of in Pattaya itself.  Port health dept in Laem Chabang has it though, or used to