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With all the advancements in the field of medicine and technology, everyday reveals something new. Scientists are always identifying new and rare diseases and infections. We now understand more about illnesses and their causes than we did earlier. And with this better understanding we now know how to prevent these diseases and control their unchecked spread. This is good news for those diseases that have yet no known cure. For such diseases, vaccinations are the best prevention. One such vaccination is the Yellow Fever Vaccination. Yellow fever is a viral disease that is a public health issue in the Africa and some Americas. It is spread by through the transmission of the yellow fever virus which is spread through infected mosquitoes. The name is yellow fever because of the symptom of jaundice that is seen several victims. There is no medication that can cure yellow fever. The only real cure is the yellow fever vaccination. The Yellow fever vaccination has been available to the public for the last 60 years. It was developed by Max Theiler at the Rockefeller Foundation. The Yellow fever vaccination gives immunity from the virus for ten years at least. The vaccination comprises of an attenuated
virus called 17D which has been commercially used for several years and is known to be safe and effective. The Yellow fever vaccination is administered at approved vaccination centres only. 10 days after getting the yellow fever vaccination the person gets an International Certificate of Vaccination which is also called a Yellow card. This card is required for gaining entry into certain countries because it is proof of the yellow fever vaccination. The yellow fever vaccination is a must for anyone above the age of 9 months who is travelling to a country known to have incidences of yellow fever. The yellow fever vaccination is also a must for anyone above 9 months of age who lives in a country which has yellow fever prevalent and is travelling out of it. Anyone who resides in a country that is high risk for yellow fever has to have a booster shot of the yellow fever vaccination every 10 years to ensure immunity. Although the yellow fever vaccination has been seen to be safe and risk free, there could be some reactions because of it, and having prior knowledge about it is helpful. The vaccination could bring about allergic reactions in persons who are allergic to eggs since the 17D vaccine is grown in eggs. Infants who are younger than 9 months of age should not have a yellow fever vaccination under any circumstances (if it is unavoidable, a physician should be consulted). Women who are pregnant or nursing should avoid travel to countries that require a yellow fever vaccination and should consult a doctor in case it has to be done. Thus although yellow fever is an incurable disease the yellow fever vaccination provides a simple and effective way of protecting against it. Childhood Vaccination
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