Yellow fever is a very serious infection that is contracted through bites from contaminated mosquitos. It is only found in specific areas of the world such as South America, Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Infected mosquitos can be found everywhere throughout these regions, with people contracting yellow fever in the towns, cities, and rural areas alike.
If you do contract Yellow Fever, symptoms will not appear right away as yellow fever has an incubation period of 3-6 days. The first symptoms that will appear include:
- A headache and sensitivity to light
- Nausea or vomiting
- A fever
- Muscle or joint pain
- Loss of appetite
There is no cure for yellow fever and any medical intervention is aimed at reducing the severity of the symptoms. Most will recover after 3 or 4 days, but around 25% of people who get yellow fever will go on to develop much more severe symptoms like vomiting blood and bleeding from the mouth, eyes, nose, and ears can also occur. The skin will also begin to yellow, which is where the name for the disease comes from. Around half of those who experience more serious symptoms will unfortunately not survive.
If you are going to be travelling to an area where yellow fever can be found, it is essential to protect yourself. The best way to do so is to get the vaccine for yellow fever, especially since you may be in an area where you cannot get immediate or effective medical treatment. Within 10 days of just one yellow fever injection, there is 80% effectiveness and after 30 days it is 99% effective. Any yellow fever vaccine side effects are usually mild, with some people complaining of headaches, achiness, and low fevers.
Once you are vaccinated, it is still advised that you take precautions against yellow fever. Most bites occur during the day so use insect repellant and try to wear clothes that cover your arms and legs. At night, use mosquito nets to protect yourself while you are sleeping.
To get a yellow fever vaccine in London and the UK, contact Touchwood Pharmacy. We offer comprehensive travel clinic services like administering the yellow fever vaccine at a low cost. Call or visit https://www.touchwoodpharmacy.com/ to find out more.
