South America’s Yellow Fever Epidemic Disrupts Travel

As the global travel industry prepares to reopen, certain countries are enforcing a decade-old vaccination mandate.

Paraguay's authorities recently announced a proof of immunization against yellow fever would be required for travelers arriving from or leaving for Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela.

These countries reported new Yellow fever (YF) cases throughout 2021.

Effective February 14, 2022, “without the yellow fever vaccination certificate, nationals and foreign residents will not be able to travel to these destinations, and non-resident foreigners from these risk areas will not be able to enter the national territory,” the General Directorate of Migrations said in a statement.

The requirement applies to all people aged one to 59 who come from or go to these countries. However, the list of nations and territories may be extended at the Paraguary’s Health Ministry's discretion, it was reported.

Those without a yellow fever vaccination card will have to go through sanitary controls for ten days from their entry. And outbound travelers will be banned from leaving the country if they do not have the International Certificate of Vaccination against YF.

Air travelers who make a stopover at any of the risk areas will not be required to have the international yellow fever vaccination certificate.

These vaccination requirements are essential for everyone’s health as Yellow fever is an African mosquito-borne infection that can cause a wide spectrum of symptoms, from mild to fatal.

“Any foreign person, not resident in Paraguay, coming from a risk area, must present the international certificate of vaccination against yellow fever to enter Paraguay,” the authorities' statement went on.

Those unable to get vaccinated due to health issues must show proof of their condition through a note signed by a medical professional registered under the Health Ministry or by the health authority of the country of origin and comply with sanitary monitoring for ten days.

In Paraguay, the certificate is available at any regional hospital nationwide. And a visa is not required to get it, and it is valid for life.

Proof of yellow fever vaccination is also required to visit areas in Argentina, Brazil, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, and Jamaica. 

The one-dose Stamaril yellow fever vaccine must be administered at least ten days before departure to become effective. Furthermore, it does not require booster injections.

For 2022, the U.S. FDA-approved YF-Vax yellow fever vaccine is a live, weakened form of the virus. YF vaccines are given as a single subcutaneous injection.

Following vaccination, you should receive a yellow card called the International Certificate of Vaccination to prove that you have been immunized.

As of February 14, 2022, an interactive world map displays travel recommendations by destination and yellow fever vaccination requirements for specific countries.

Additional yellow fever vaccine news is published at Vax-Before-Travel/YellowFever. 

PrecisionVaccinations publishes fact-checked, research-based antibody, antiviral, and vaccine news.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2022, with related links.