What happens if I travel before the mandatory 10 days period after taking Yellow Fever vaccination

Dear Dr Gaurav,

My name is **** and I am from Bangalore. I travel to Uganda in a few days. I just realised that I need to get yellow fever vaccination. I called the public health office in Bangalore and I may or may not be able to get the vaccination done on Wednesday. I arrive in Uganda on Friday afternoon. I was wondering if having the two days in between is sufficient for the vaccination to take effect. Online it says that it takes about ten days for it to take effect.

I know that as a doctor you would obviously not advise me to take the risk of travelling without getting the proper vaccination, but, I was wondering if I was willing to take the risk, does the government have a policy against me immigrating if I haven't given it the recommended period of ten days? I return from Uganda in two weeks from now.

Thanks so much! I shall be very grateful if you could reply to me at your earliest convenience.

Ans. Hi,

Thanks for contacting me,

You are correct in understanding that the Yellow Fever Vaccine takes 10 days for effect as per the government notification.

The government / immigration policy can put you in quarantine, or even deport you in case you have not waited for the mandatory 10 days period. You may be treated as someone NOT possessing the Yellow fever Vaccination certificate.

While this is usually not the case in real life, it is certainly a possibility, and hence I would recommend that you consider postponing the trip by a few days if possible,

Warm regards

Dr Gaurav Gupta