Do I Need Yellow Fever Vaccine?

[massagehound]

Hi,

Just wondering if there's any need for me to get a yellow fever vaccine if I'm a UK citizen. I've never been to any of the risk countries before, but the travel clinic gave me a prescription for the vaccine.

I'd really rather not pay for / take a vaccine that I really don't need...if that's the case

Any advice would be really great!

[Nawak]

Never had yellow fever or any other vaccine for the last 20 years travelling and living in Thailand. So I would say NO, you don't need it.

[crusader79]

I have been taking taxis driven by reckless incompetents in Thailand for 30 years and have never died in a flaming car wreck so I would say NO, you don't need to wear a seat belt.

[crusader79]

Although yellow fever is not a disease risk in Thailand, the government requires travelers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever virus transmission to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. If you will be traveling to one of these countries with a risk of yellow fever virus transmission before arriving in Thailand, this requirement must be taken into consideration.

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/thailand.htm

[Nawak]

I have been taking taxis driven by reckless incompetents in Thailand for 30 years and have never died in a flaming car wreck so I would say NO, you don't need to wear a seat belt.

From WHO website:

There are an estimated 200 000 cases of yellow fever (causing 30 000 deaths) worldwide each year. Small numbers of imported cases occur in countries free of yellow fever. Although the disease has never been reported in Asia, the region is at risk because the conditions required for transmission are present there.

More people die from virus they get in hospitals than from yellow fever, so avoid hospitals at all costs.

Edited August 27, 2011 by Nawak

[Jingthing]

Something to think about for people traveling to Thailand AND countries on the yellow fever list. In some cases, the list is a bit silly. For example, in Ecuador most tourists don't travel to their Amazon area and they would be silly to get the shots if they aren't. But if you are going to Ecuador and Thailand, you need the certificate, even if it's medically the wrong decision. (You don't need to the certificate to enter Ecuador.)

Edited August 27, 2011 by Jingthing

[massagehound]

Hi! Thanks for all the replies...

I'm traveling from Dublin - London - BKK - Chiang Mai.

If I thought I'd be spending any time on a river, or in the countryside I would be more likely to go for it, but I really don't think it's necessary at all. I think the vaccine is about £55, but more importantly it's another vaccine going into my system that doesn't seem necessary!

Cheers

[Jingthing]

I agree. You do NOT need it!

[lopburi3]

If that travel clinic did not advise you it was only if you were going to travel through an infected country I would consider them highly suspect. Below is the official reference (the UK is not a Yellow Fever country):

Yellow Fever

Vaccine Preventable Risks: Yellow Fever | Additional Risks | Back to Top

Administration of yellow fever vaccine should take into account both the certificate requirements under International Health Regulations and the risk of yellow fever at the destination. The lack of a certificate requirement does not necessarily indicate that there is no risk of disease.

YELLOW FEVER

Yellow fever is a systemic viral disease.

Risk assessment

There is no risk of yellow fever in this country, however, there is a certificate requirement.

Certificate requirements

Under International Health Regulations (2005), a certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required from travellers over 9 months of age arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission.

http://www.nathnac.org/ds/c_pages/country_page_TH.htm#vpr