Following the recent outbreak of Yellow Fever in Angola, several countries have imposed the requirements for vaccination against the disease for travel 10 days prior to arrival, including Guyana.
However, contrary to the pronouncements made by Minister Dr. George Norton on country specific entry requirements regarding the Yellow Fever virus, which was published in yesterday’s edition of the Stabroek News, the Ministry of Health has since issued a press statement clarifying the said requirements.
In a previous telephone interview with Stabroek News, Norton noted that all individuals desirous of entering Guyana would be required to produce documents to support proof of immunisation against the Yellow Fever virus.
But while the Ministry has agreed that Guyana has been listed as one of the countries whose residents would be required to be immunised and issued with a yellow fever certificate prior to travel, it must be noted that because of the presence of the vector that transmits yellow fever and an uncertain “salvatic” environment in the hinterlands, it is advisable that persons traveling from countries listed as endemic for yellow fever (mainly in Africa and Asia) should also be in possession of a valid Yellow Fever Immunisation of Vaccination or prophylaxis on arrival in Guyana.
However, the countries listed as endemic are mainly from the African continent and does not include countries in North America, Europe, Central America and the Caribbean.
For further clarification, persons are asked to contact the Ministry of Public Health on telephone 22-61560
