A designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre
Yellow fever vaccine
Yellow fever vaccine can only be given at a designated centre, and the certificate can only be issued by one. We are a designated centre in NW Calgary, and you do not need a referral.
Yellow fever is different from the other travel vaccines in one practical way: some countries will not let you in without proof you have had it. The proof is an international certificate, and only a designated centre can issue it.
The certificate becomes valid ten days after vaccination, which is the deadline that actually governs your booking. Leave more room than that if you can, because most trips need other vaccines too.
Who needs the yellow fever vaccine?
Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne viral illness found in tropical parts of Africa and of Central and South America. The vaccine matters for two separate reasons, and they do not always both apply.
Protection, where your route goes through it
If your itinerary takes you into areas where yellow fever circulates, vaccination is the main way to protect yourself against it.
Entry requirements
Many countries require proof of vaccination before they will let you in, either from every traveller or only from travellers arriving from a country where the disease is present.
Layovers can trigger it
Transiting through certain airports can bring the requirement into play even if you never leave the terminal, so the whole route matters and not just the final destination.
Where it comes up most
Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana are common examples, but requirements vary by country and change over time. Checking your itinerary against current requirements is exactly what the consultation is for.
The timing that matters
- 10 days after vaccination
- 2 to 4 weeks before departure
- Usually none
- For life, since 11 July 2016
- Not needed
What the certificate is, and how to look after it
The document is an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, the ICVP. It is the yellow booklet border officials ask to see. A clinic or pharmacy that is not a designated centre cannot give you this vaccine or issue the certificate, which is why both happen here in the same visit.
Keep the booklet with your passport once you have it. Replacing a lost certificate is considerably harder than getting one issued correctly the first time.
If you were vaccinated years ago
For most travellers a single dose is now considered to give lifelong protection under the international health regulations, so no booster is needed.
Bring your old certificate to the consultation. The pharmacist can confirm whether it still meets the requirements for where you are going, which is quicker and cheaper than being vaccinated again unnecessarily.
Is the vaccine right for everyone?
No, and that is part of why it is restricted to designated centres: the screening matters as much as the injection. Yellow fever vaccine is a live vaccine, and age, pregnancy, immune conditions, certain medications and egg allergy all feed into whether it is appropriate for you.
That assessment is individual. Bring a list of your medications and health conditions to the appointment, and raise anything you are unsure about rather than leaving it out.
If the vaccine turns out not to be suitable, that does not automatically end the trip. Depending on your circumstances and your destination, a medical waiver letter may be an option, alongside strict precautions against mosquito bites.
What else might your trip need?
Travellers who need yellow fever protection are usually going somewhere that calls for other things as well: hepatitis A and B, typhoid, malaria prevention, or routine boosters that have quietly lapsed. Some programmes and employers also want a TB skin test before departure or on return.
Since you are coming in for a consultation anyway, it is the natural moment to deal with the whole list rather than book three appointments. Most travel vaccines are available on site, and the TB test can be started in the same visit.
How to book
Call with your destination and departure date
Phone 403-930-5806. Those two details are enough for us to tell you whether the timing works and what else the trip is likely to need.
Come in for the consultation
Bring your itinerary, any immunization records you have, and a list of your medications and health conditions.
Vaccinated and certified in the same visit
You leave with the ICVP booklet. It becomes valid ten days later, which is in time for the trip provided you booked with that gap in hand.
Common questions
Where can I get a yellow fever vaccine in Calgary?
Only at a designated Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre. Edgemont Family Pharmacy in NW Calgary is a designated centre, and no referral is required.
How far in advance should I get the vaccine?
At least 10 days before entering a country that requires the certificate, because that is when it becomes valid. Two to four weeks before departure is better and leaves room for any other vaccines your trip needs.
Does a layover count?
It can. Some countries require proof from travellers who have transited a yellow fever area, and that can include an airport stop where you never leave the terminal. Bring the full route to the consultation, not only the final destination.
Do I need a booster if I was vaccinated years ago?
For most travellers, no. One dose is now considered valid for life under international health regulations, which have treated the certificate as lifelong since 11 July 2016. Bring your old certificate and the pharmacist can confirm it still meets your destination's requirements.
What if I cannot receive the vaccine?
Talk to the pharmacist. Yellow fever vaccine is a live vaccine, so age, pregnancy, immune conditions, some medications and egg allergy all affect whether it is suitable. Depending on your health circumstances and destination, a medical waiver letter may be an option, along with strict mosquito-bite precautions.
Is the yellow fever vaccine covered?
Travel vaccines are generally not covered by Alberta Health, though many private and employer plans reimburse them. Call 403-930-5806 for current pricing before you book, and keep your receipt for your insurer.