Yellow Fever Vaccination

Hi all,

Before I left NZ I asked for the vaccinations that I needed for CHILE and possible travel to other countries including BOLIVIA and PERU.

I've been in Chile for a few months and i'm going to Bolivia in December.

I was not given the Yellow Fever Vaccination by my doctor in NZ and I was not told that I needed it. Now i've read online that it's a requirement for entry into Bolivia.

1. Is it true that it's a requirement?

2. If so, where can I get the vaccination and how much will it cost?
   (i'm based in Santiago at the moment).

All advice appreciated :)
Mae

Hi Maebeliine,

There is a lot of mixed information out there about the yellow fever vaccination. I am from Canada and am currently in South America and have travelled through Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and now Peru.

I did in fact get the vaccination because I thought it was mandatory, but so far no one at any border point has mentioned it at all. Almost hoping they will ask so I can justify the money I spent on the shot!

I have been travelling over land, so air travel could be different.

Hope this helps! If you're interested I just posted about the Bolivian Salt Flats (a must do) here: http://jenniferkolbuc.com/the-worlds-largest-salt-flats-bolivia/

Jen

Its not so much that the immigration officials of Bolivia or Chile or Peru are going to ask you for the yellow fever vaccination form.

However, when you return back to Canada/New Zealand/Australia it is usually required to show that you are vaccinated for Yellow Fever. I've had to do so several times on return to Australia from Latin America.

Entry information

With that said, they may well ask for it.

Best to get the vaccination. Not sure where you can in Chile.

You are going to need a doctor's prescription to get it apparently. The Clinica Santa Maria vaccination center is well stocked and not difficult to get to. It is just on the opposite side of the river from the Salvador metro stop. You can see the clinic when you cross the bridge, walk up the side street to the left of it. There is a map on the website. Santa Maria is the street which runs along the river on that side. You need your passport. I would go there first and confirm that you need a prescription.
http://www.clinicasantamaria.cl/vacunatorio/vacunatorio.htm

The Hospital del Salvador used to do vaccinations for travelers but stopped in 2011 and I don't know that they started again. That was the only public hospital to offer yellow fever. So now it is down to private clinics and it is expensive: anywhere from the equivalent of US$50 to US$65.

I wonder if you couldn't get it once in Bolivia for a lot less? Or outside Santiago? There is a chain of places called Megasalud which say they have yellow fever vaccinations. Worth calling one if you are outside Santiago:
http://vacunas.megasalud.cl/vacunatorios.html

We live in NZ too and are wondering about whether or not to get the YF shot before we go to Bolivia and Peru in a few weeks' time. We'd prefer not to but not sure if we'd need it when entering Peru or Ecuador having been to Bolivia. It seems to me to be a pretty much 'hit or miss' thing whether you are asked for a YF certificate or not.

One thing I do know is that you won't need to provide proof of having the vaccine when you return to NZ as our mozzies aren't capable (at this stage) of transmitting the disease. If you are returning via Australia though, you would need it because their mozzies can (so I've been told). I found that information on a New Zealand medical website.

[http://www.who.int/ith/chapters/ith2012en_countrylist.pdf]

Whilst it may be hit or mss with getting in (coming from Chile you should be fine). It really does depend on where you travel within the country.

map of YF

If you are doing the pampas or amazon in either country, I'd be getting one.

map of yellow fever spread

Remember too that getting a yellow fever immunisation is considerably better than getting yellow fever.