For most people, one yellow fever vaccine lasts for life, and the certificate you get with it is valid for life too. The vaccine is not free on the NHS for travel, so you pay for it at a registered yellow fever vaccination centre. Have it at least 10 days before you travel, but book a few weeks earlier so there is time to check your health and your route. Bowland Pharmacy in Wythenshawe is an official yellow fever vaccination centre. Our price list shows yellow fever vaccination at £69 per dose, with the certificate included, if the pharmacist confirms it is suitable for you.
Looking to book? See our yellow fever vaccination page, choose a time on our booking page, or call 0161 998 7114.
One dose lasts for life for most people
The NHS says the yellow fever vaccine gives lifelong protection for most people. The UK Green Book, the national guide to vaccines, says a single dose appears to give life-long immunity, so a booster is not needed in most cases. TravelHealthPro, run by the UK’s National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), puts the length of protection at at least 35 years, and says it may be lifelong.
So if you had the vaccine years ago, you will usually not need it again before your next trip.
When a second dose may be advised
A small group of travellers may not have built up long-term protection from their first dose. The NHS and the Green Book say a further dose is recommended for people going to risk areas again who were first vaccinated:
- when they were under 2 years old
- while pregnant
- while living with HIV
- while their immune system was weakened
- before a bone marrow transplant
Rarely, a further dose may also be considered for someone living or working for a long time in a high-risk area. If any of this applies to you, tell the pharmacist at your appointment.
Your certificate is valid for life
You get an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) when you have the vaccine. The Green Book says that since 11 July 2016 this certificate has been valid for the whole life of the person vaccinated. Countries cannot turn it away because it is more than 10 years old, and they cannot ask for a booster. The NHS and TravelHealthPro say this includes older certificates with an expiry date printed on them, and that an old certificate should not be altered.
It is not free on the NHS
The NHS lists yellow fever among the travel vaccines you have to pay for. Hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera and the combined polio booster can be free at a GP surgery, but yellow fever is not. The NHS also says the vaccine and its certificate are only available from registered yellow fever vaccination centres, so not every GP surgery or pharmacy can give it.
How far ahead to book
The NHS and the Green Book say to have the vaccine at least 10 days before you travel. This gives the vaccine time to work, and it is when a first certificate becomes valid at the border.
For travel vaccines in general, the NHS suggests getting advice at least 4 to 6 weeks before you go. That matters if you need other vaccines too. For example, the NHS says you should leave at least 4 weeks between the MMR vaccine and yellow fever, where possible. If your trip is very soon, still ask. The Green Book says the vaccine should still be considered for last-minute travellers, but a first certificate is not valid until 10 days after the vaccine.
The yellow fever checklist you go through first
Yellow fever is a live vaccine: it contains a weakened form of the virus. Because of this, the health professional at a yellow fever centre must go through a pre-vaccination checklist with you before giving it. TravelHealthPro publishes this checklist. It asks about:
- your age, and whether you feel unwell today
- allergies, especially to eggs or chicken protein, and any reaction to a past yellow fever vaccine
- cancer now or in the past, HIV, or any illness that affects the immune system
- medicines, chemotherapy or radiotherapy that affect the immune system, now or in the last year
- thymus gland problems, removal of the thymus, or any open chest surgery
- pregnancy, planning a pregnancy, or breastfeeding
- a close blood relative who had a serious reaction to the vaccine
Some answers mean the vaccine cannot be given. The NHS says this includes babies under 6 months, people with a weakened immune system, and anyone with a thymus disorder or whose thymus was removed. Other answers mean more questions. People aged 60 or over have a higher risk of rare serious side effects, so the NHS says they should only have it when travel to a high-risk area cannot be avoided. The checklist notes say to wait 28 days after the vaccine before trying to conceive.
What it costs at Bowland
Our price list shows “Yellow Fever £69” per dose, with “Certificate included”. It also lists “Yellow Fever Replacement Certificate £10” and “Yellow Fever Exemption Certificate £20”. Our yellow fever page says the fee covers the vaccine, giving it, and the certificate, which we issue on the day. Prices are correct for 2026/27 and subject to change, so check the list before you come.
Common questions
Where can I get the yellow fever vaccine in Manchester?
Only at a registered yellow fever vaccination centre. Bowland Pharmacy is one, at 52 Bowland Road, Wythenshawe, Manchester. The NHS links to a search for all registered centres on the NaTHNaC website.
Is the yellow fever vaccine free on the NHS?
No. The NHS says it is not available free, so you pay for it, whether at a pharmacy, a private clinic or a GP surgery that is a registered centre.
What if I cannot have the vaccine?
If a medical reason rules it out and your destination asks for a certificate, a yellow fever centre may give you an exemption letter. The NHS says officials may accept it, but it does not protect you, so take extra care to avoid mosquito bites.
What side effects can it cause?
The NHS says up to 1 in 3 people get a headache, muscle pain, a raised temperature or a sore arm, which usually pass within 2 weeks. Serious reactions are rare. Very rarely the vaccine affects the brain or other organs, which can be fatal. Get medical advice if you feel very unwell within a few days or weeks of the vaccine.
Planning a trip to Kenya or elsewhere in Africa? Read which travel vaccines are free on the NHS.
Important health information
This article is general information only. It does not diagnose a condition, recommend a vaccine, or replace an individual assessment by a pharmacist or GP. If you feel unwell after travelling to a country where yellow fever is found, ask for an urgent GP appointment or use NHS 111, and mention your trip. For a life-threatening emergency, call 999.
Sources
Official guidance checked 19 October 2026:
- NHS: Yellow fever vaccination
- NHS: Yellow fever
- NHS: Travel vaccinations
- UKHSA Green Book: Yellow fever, chapter 35
- TravelHealthPro: Yellow fever
- TravelHealthPro: Yellow fever pre-vaccination checklist
- TravelHealthPro: Yellow fever information for travellers
Published by Bowland Pharmacy. Written to NHS and UKHSA guidance. Superintendent Pharmacist: Ahmed Al-Liabi (GPhC 2208502).
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