travel

Officials to crack down on vaccine requirement

Starting Oct. 1, border officials will be checking for vaccination cards to travel to many countries.

The crackdown is part of a wider effort by officials to ensure that yellow fever does not reemerge here.

Border officials will begin more stricter enforcement that requires residents traveling to certain countries to provide proof of vaccination against yellow fever.

The crackdown seeks to prevent a recurrence of a disease that was eradicated 30 years ago in Panama, explained Lucas López, director of the Región Metropolitana de Salud.

The vaccine requirement will apply to residents traveling to countries that have reported recent cases of the disease, most notably Costa Rica.

Because of the change, health officials plan to open additional vaccination sites across the country. It is not available through private clinics and hospitals.

The government will also be working with travel agents and airlines to ensure that travelers are aware of the change.

The vaccine for yellow fever is valid for 10 years.

In addition to Costa Rica, the countries that are on the list of reporting new cases of yellow fever include Brazil, Colombia, Bolivia, Argentina and Venezuela.

The government has also stepped up its surveillance of activity in the Darién to ensure that the disease is not making a resurgence in that area.