Yellow fever: Yellow fever vaccine

Symptoms of yellow fever usually appear within 3-6 days of being infected and include:

A small number of people will develop severe symptoms of yellow fever and of those, approximately half will die. These include:

There is no cure for yellow fever. To prevent contracting yellow fever, you should get vaccinated before travelling, wear long-sleeved tops and full-length trousers when in endemic countries and carry insect repellent.

As there is no cure for yellow fever, it is important to look out for and recognise the symptoms of the virus so that these can be managed whilst your body fights the infection. Treatment for the symptoms of yellow fever includes taking painkillers and keeping hydrated. More serious symptoms may require hospital treatment.

The yellow fever vaccine is a single dose injection administered in the upper arm that provides lifelong immunity. It is a live vaccine, which means it contains a weakened form of the virus. It triggers your immune response, allowing your body to memorise how to deal with the virus should it encounter it again.

In the UK, Stamaril®, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur, is the generally used vaccine for yellow fever.

For most people, a single dose of the vaccine is sufficient to protect against yellow fever for life. However, there are a small number of people who may be recommended a booster dose if they are visiting risk areas. These include those who:

Some people may experience side effects from the yellow fever vaccine, but these are usually minimal and outweigh the risk of not being vaccinated. Common side effects of the yellow fever vaccine that can affect up to 1 in 3 people include:

You can take pain relief before your vaccination to help minimise side effects. You can also use it after you experience any of the above side effects.

The vaccine is not recommended for some people. The NHS states that the following people should not have the yellow fever vaccine:

Most yellow fever cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa. Some countries for which yellow fever vaccination is currently recommended prior to travel include*: 

If you aren’t sure whether your travel destination is a yellow fever risk area, or whether you need a vaccination to travel, you can use our Travel Vaccination Checker.

There are many different services you can use in the UK to get the required vaccinations before travelling. You need to receive the vaccine at least ten days before you travel to give it enough time to work.

If you or your child have recently had the MMR vaccine, you’ll need to wait at least 4 weeks before having the yellow fever vaccination.

You may be able to get your vaccination at your local GP practice, but they are not free on the NHS and typically cost between £60 to £85. Some pharmacies and independent clinics can also administer travel vaccinations.

Don’t forget to enter your holiday details into our vaccination checker for a travel health summary and recommended clinic.

Even after getting a yellow fever vaccination, there are still some additional precautions you can take to best protect yourself from contracting the virus:

In summary, yellow fever is a virus contracted from infected mosquitoes. It is prominent in sub-Saharan Africa and other areas such as the Caribbean. There is no cure for yellow fever but there is a vaccine that can provide lifelong immunity. Should you contract yellow fever, the most common symptoms are fever, headaches, muscle pain, nausea, and sickness.

If you want to find out more about other tropical diseases such as malaria, and how you treat them, then check out our travel advice and information.

You might also find our guide to travel essentials, information about travel vaccinations and a variety of insect repellents handy too.