1.24.18 – (LAA/LUS) – Yellow Fever Vaccine Shortage and Updated Guidance

Yellow Fever Vaccine Shortage and Updated Guidance

What You need to know:

• Over the past few years there has been an uptick of Yellow Fever cases in Brazil during the Southern Hemisphere rainy season.
• Due to a significant increase of reported Yellow Fever cases in Brazil, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) have recently expanded the list of areas where the vaccine is recommended for international travelers.
• The U.S. supply of the FDA -approved Yellow Fever Vaccine, YF Vax, has nearly been depleted and new supplies will most likely remain unavailable until mid-2018.
• The shortage is due to a manufacturing problem by the only U.S. vendor of YF-Vax, Sanofi-Pasteur.
• The CDC has recommended an alternative vaccine, Stamaril, which is considered comparable in safety and efficacy to the YF-Vax. Stamaril is not FDA approved, however, it has been registered and distributed in more than 70 countries worldwide since 1986.
• After discussions with APFA about how to best protect Flight Crew members from potential exposure, AA has agreed to cover Stamaril under the Company Health Plans if administered by an in-network healthcare provider.
• A limited number of Health Care Providers in the United States have been licensed to administer Stamaril.
• The Company is currently working with UHC and BCBS to set up a procedure for providing employees with up-to-date information about where they can go to be vaccinated.

What you can do:

• If YF-Vax is unavailable in your area, contact UHC or BCBS at the number on the back of your insurance ID card to find an approved Health Care Provider licensed to administer the Stamaril vaccine. The vaccine will be covered at 100% if administered by an in-network provider.
• The Premise Clinic at AA HDQ II has a very limited amount of YF-Vax and will schedule appointments on January 31^st and February 7^th from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM as long as supplies are still available. If you wish to schedule an appointment, please call them at (817)963-1200.
• Continue to take recommended precautions against mosquito born illness. Preventive measures include wearing clothes with long sleeves and long pants, limiting time outdoors, and using an effective insect repellent such as those with DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
• Continue to observe universal precautions when interacting with ill passengers. Use the items in the Grab and Go and Ancillary kits when appropriate.

More About Stamaril:

• Stamaril is a live vaccine
• The vaccine should be given at least 10 days before entering an endemic area since protective immunity may not be achieved until at least this amount of time has elapsed.
• If you are pregnant, immune compromised, HIV positive, over age 60, or have a serious health condition, please consult with your Health Care Provider before getting the vaccination.