Before a seafarer or a traveler can get out of country, it is mandatory for him or her to get one shot of yellow fever vaccine. One should have the yellow card ready to be presented to health and immigration authorities abroad. In this blog, we’ll talk about how to get yellow fever vaccine card including renewal.
One can get this vaccine in various Bureau of Quarantine Offices across the country. The procedure is very much the same with other offices. Thus, we’ll present here the procedures on how to get your first yellow fever vaccine. We will also include the procedures for renewal for lifetime validity.
What is Yellow Fever?
Mosquitoes are primary carrier of this tropical viral disease affecting the liver and kidneys, causing fever, skin, eyes and mucous membranes to turn yellow (hence, yellow fever) and often fatal.
This disease is prevalent in South America and West Africa. In 2016, a yellow fever outbreak in Angola hit world media.
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When should you get the Yellow Fever Vaccine?
As for traveling and work purposes, government authorities has made it part of the requirements to have a shot of yellow fever vaccine.
In result, the applicant shall be given a Carte Jaune or Yellow Card which is an international certificate of vaccination (ICV).
What are the procedures in getting the Yellow Fever vaccine?
- Upon arriving at the Bureau of Quarantine Office, approach the guard and log in your details in the log book.
- Proceed to the clinic and inform the nurse on duty of your transaction. Then you will be given a screening form.
- Fill Up the Screening Form with the necessary information.
- After you’re done with the form, proceed to the doctor for screening.
- For screening and vaccination, it depends on each Quarantine Office on how they will conduct this. It depends mainly on the number of applicants.
In Manila, where there are plenty of applicants, they have screening and vaccination everyday. While in other offices, they have their different ways.
In Cebu, the applicants needs to group themselves into 10 people. The reason for this that the yellow fever vaccine has 10 doses. Once opened, the vaccine will expire in 6 hours. So the officer needs to have 10 people ready to receive the dose right away to avoid expiration.
Yellow fever vaccination schedule in Cebu is Wednesday and Thursday except holidays.
In Ilo-Ilo, the applicants will log their name and contact details. If the applicants reach the total number of 10, then the office will text them to have their screening and vaccination.
Screening and Vaccination…
6. After screening, check the screening form if the Immunize Box is ticked. If the skin test is ticked, go back to the clinic and inform the nurse that you are for skin test. inform also the nurse of the waiver box is ticked.
7. Proceed to the cashier and pay Php 1,500.
8. After paying, go back to the clinic for your vaccination.
9. After your vaccination, the nurse on duty will give you your yellow card.
10. Wait for around 30 minutes for observation.
Finally, if everything is normal, then that’s all. If not, the nurse will advise if what to do in case your body does not accept well the vaccine. However, this cases rarely happens as the yellow fever vaccine is very safe per WHO (World Health Organization).
Renewal of the Yellow Card
Since July 11, 2016, It has been concluded that a single dose of vaccination is sufficient to confer lifelong immunity against yellow fever. Therefore, those who already has a yellow fever vaccine shot, is no longer required to have another dose.
- Approach the guard or aide and log your details in the logbook
- Ask the guard or aide to where the clinic for Yellow Card renewal is.
- Submit your Yellow Card to the authorized personnel. You will be given a form. Fill it up.
- After you fill up the form, proceed to the cashier and pay P300.
- After paying, wait for your name to be called. Double check all details. Present your official receipt and claim your new yellow card with lifetime validity.
Final thoughts…
To sum up, an applicant does not need to go any further to have his or her yellow fever vaccine. As a result, the costs to have this document is minimal and affordable.
Most importantly, a seafarer or a traveler has maximum protection against yellow fever.