Yellow Fever

A single dose usually provides long-term protection. With some medical conditions, an additional dose may be recommended if travelling 10 or more years later.

Yellow fever is a viral infection spread by mosquitoes in parts of Africa and South America. It can cause fever, jaundice, bleeding, and in severe cases, can be fatal.

The vaccine is recommended for travellers visiting or passing through parts of Africa and South America where yellow fever is present. In addition to protecting your health, vaccination may be a legal requirement for entry into certain countries, which will ask to see an official certificate before allowing you to enter.

For people aged over 60, the yellow fever vaccine is given with extra caution, as the risk of serious side effects is slightly higher. However, in most cases, the risk of travelling unvaccinated to an at-risk area is greater than the risk of the vaccine itself, and on that basis vaccination is recommended.

In some circumstances, if your doctor decides the vaccine is not suitable for you, they may issue a medical exemption certificate. Not all countries accept exemptions, so it is important to check the entry requirements for your destination before you travel.

The yellow fever vaccine is not suitable for everyone - including people with weakened immune systems, certain medical conditions, or allergies to vaccine ingredients.

Before vaccination, a doctor or travel nurse will check your medical history to ensure the vaccine is safe for you.

If you are found ineligible, we will not proceed with vaccination. Instead, we can issue a Medical Letter of Exemption if appropriate, which is accepted by some (but not all) countries.

The cost for a Medical Letter of Exemption is £50, so if you had prepaid for vaccination, we will refund the difference.

Yes. If you are vaccinated at our clinic, you will also receive an International Certificate of Vaccination (often required for travel).

Yes - 222 Healthcare is a UK-registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre. This means we are authorised to provide the vaccine and issue the official International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), which is required for travel to certain countries.

Most people tolerate the vaccine well, with only mild side effects such as soreness at the injection site, headache, muscle aches, or a mild fever.

Rarely, more serious reactions can occur. These include severe allergic reactions, problems affecting the nervous system, or multiple organ failure. Such reactions are very uncommon (estimated at 1 in 50,000 to 1 in 250,000 doses), but the risk is slgihty higher in people over 60 or those with weakened immune systems.

Whilst this can sound worrying, in most cases the protection against yellow fever far outweighs the very small risk of a serious reaction, particularly when travelling to areas where the disease is common.

Our travel nurse will assess your individual risk before vaccination and discuss any concerns with you.

The NHS does not routinely provide yellow fever vaccination. It is only available at licensed yellow fever vaccination centres, such as ours.