Yellow fever vaccine age limit

When I started hunting Africa, I was unaware of yellow fever vaccine requirements (not req for RSA, Namibia, Botswana).
Now I'm ready to hunt Moz or further north, I realize requirement for yellow fever vaccine.
Being over the "age limit" for risk of increased adverse results wondering if anyone has specific experience with the 2 different vaccines and reality of severe adverse reaction?
Thanks

Hi autofire, What age limit are you referring to? I yellow fever vaccine when I was 64, had no reaction.

CDC guideline say 60+ has higher risk of severe/life ending reaction.

I'm a risk taker, but at my age 65+ I try to assess vs jump in over my head.
Thanks

If you are going to Cameroon you don’t get a choice. The proof of vaccination card copy must accompany your visa application. (Unless you make your own…)

No yellow fever vaccine is required in Mozambique

Consult with your travel doctor or pharmacist. I just met with mine yesterday. he is giving me a card with an exemption.I am also going to Mozambique and it is not required. He wouldn’t even let me get the vaccine and I am only 48.

The only vaccine I’ve ever had any adverse reaction to was the yellow fever vaccine. I felt horrible for about a day and a half and my arm hurt for a week.

I’ve had the yellow fever shot 2 times, once when I was 36, the other at 61, I’ve had no ill effects, however, that doesn’t mean it’s safe for you. Unless you’re going to Cameroon I wouldn’t give it any more thought, that’s the only reason I took it.

I will add this, when I flew through Ethiopia last year, the travel agent said if I missed my connecting flight and had to stay 12 hours or more, I’d need the yellow fever shot. As fate would have it, I did miss my flight, was in Ethiopia 24 hours, but no one ever asked me about having taken the shot.

autofire said:

When I started hunting Africa, I was unaware of yellow fever vaccine requirements (not req for RSA, Namibia, Botswana).
Now I'm ready to hunt Moz or further north, I realize requirement for yellow fever vaccine.
Being over the "age limit" for risk of increased adverse results wondering if anyone has specific experience with the 2 different vaccines and reality of severe adverse reaction?
Thanks

Click to expand...

I am hunting in Moz in 27 and 28 in the southern part and I have seen no requirement for a yellow fever vaccine

I'm a semi-retired physician. I would not pursue the vaccine UNLESS the CDC specifically recommends it for your planned location OR if it is simply required by the country you are visiting. My wife and I were on a photo safari two years ago where we were in Kenya and then entering Tanzania by ground. Since we had been in Kenya, Tanzania required a yellow fever immunization. I would hate to be standing at the border trying to enter and arguing that my USA pharmacist gave me an "exemption." Trust me--they won't be impressed. Slipping him a C-note would be far more successful.

My wife and I were 66 and both got immunized and had no problems at all, which is the norm. This is NOT an easy vaccine to find compared to most. I live near Boise and had to go to the travel medicine clinic of one of the major hospitals. Your local pharmacy or physician is unlikely to have this. I was able to argue them out of requiring us to see a *&$@# midlevel to get the vaccine, but having a physician's license does help.

The risk past age 60 is greater but you are still unlikely to have complications.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9147422/
Abstract
We conducted a systematic review and a meta-analysis to assess the risk of serious adverse events in the elderly after yellow fever vaccination compared to the non-elderly population. We searched multiple databases and grey literature, and we selected research without language and publication date restrictions. Studies were analyzed in a descriptive way and meta-analyzed and expressed in terms of prevalence ratio and risk ratio with a 95% confidence interval, depending on the degree of heterogeneity found. A total of 18 studies were included and 11 were meta-analyzed. The results obtained through the meta-analysis showed a risk of serious adverse events after yellow fever vaccination three times higher for the elderly when compared to the non-elderly population and five times higher for persons > 70 years. In relation to adverse event types, viscerotropic disease associated with the yellow fever vaccine had a risk that was six times higher when compared to the population < 60 years. The evidence found supports that the vaccine indication in individuals > 60 years of age should be based on a careful analysis of individual benefit-risk assessments. The results found suggest a higher risk of events for individuals > 70 years, especially for viscerotropic and neurotropic disease associated with YFV contraindicating the use of the YFV in this age group.

Let me rephrase exemption. I am getting a yellow card and a statement that I have not traveled anywhere that has yellow fever and that I am of no risk of transmitting yellow fever during this trip. My previous trip they did not even ask to see the yellow card as my passport was not stamped from any country that has yellow fever. I did volunteer to take the vaccine but it was recommended that I don’t.