Do I Need a Yellow Fever Vaccine For South America?

Yes, depending upon your itinerary. Yellow fever (YF) is ready and waiting to infect tourists in several South American countries including Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru. The risk of infection is highest during the rainy season between January and March. Travelers can protect themselves with YF vaccinations and mosquito avoidance strategies. Travelers bound for South America may need many other travel vaccinations as well.

Travel doctors follow yellow fever disease trends worldwide and can advise you whether a YF vaccination is necessary. Remember, YF vaccine can only be given by a medical professional who has been certified to administer this injection. You will receive an official stamped paper documenting proof of vaccination. Immunity after YF vaccination lasts 10 years. Since the vaccine contains live virus, there are some individuals who should not receive it. Your travel medicine physician will discuss this with you. Ideally, YF vaccine should be administered at least 10 days before arrival to a yellow fever region. However, travelers leaving on short notice should still consult with a travel physician about yellow fever protection and other travel vaccinations and trip precautions.

Is a YF Vaccination Really Necessary? See below.

There is no treatment for yellow fever and you can die from it. In the past year, YF cases, including fatalities, have been reported in Brazil, Paraguay, Liberia, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone. See a travel doctor and get protected.

Traveling abroad can be a colorful experience. Make sure it isn’t about your bright yellow eyes from yellow fever. Look for flaming sunsets and spectacular rainbows instead.