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Vaccinations Aren’t Just for Kids

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Courtesy of Cherry Health

By Mary Menchinger, BS, RN-BC, Director of Nursing

 

There are several reasons people may need to be vaccinated against a disease as an adult:

  • They weren’t vaccinated as a child
  • The childhood vaccine may have worn off
  • The vaccine isn’t needed until later in life
  • The vaccine changes on a regular basis

Influenza (Flu)

Different strains of flu affect people every year. That’s one reason you need to get a flu shot annually. Each year the vaccine is designed to protect against the types of influenza virus expected to be most common. Getting a flu shot helps keep you healthy during the flu season which can start as early as September and last through May.

 

Tetanus

Tdap is a vaccine that protects against:

  • Tetanus
  • Diphtheria
  • Pertussis

Most people are vaccinated against these diseases in childhood. However, the protection can wear off.

 

Varicella (Chickenpox)

If you never had chickenpox as a child you may want to get the varicella vaccine. Chickenpox can be a serious illness in adults. Talk to your provider to see if it is a good choice for you.

 

MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella)

If you were born in 1957 or later you need at least one dose of this vaccine. Consult with your provider to determine if you need to get an adult MMR.

 

Pneumococcal

All adults over 65 are strongly urged to get this vaccine. It is also recommended for adults under age 65 with certain health conditions:

  • Long-term health problems
  • Compromised immune system
  • Asthma
  • A history of smoking

Hepatitis vaccines

Vaccine are available to protect people against hepatitis A and hepatitis B. These vaccines are generally offered to adults who work or live with high risk individuals.

 

Herpes Zoster (Shingles)

According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC), one in every three Americans will develop shingles. Shingles is caused by a return of the virus that causes chickenpox. The one-time vaccine is recommended for adults over age 60. You should get the shot even if you had chickenpox as a child.

 

Talk to your provider to make sure you are up-to-date on the vaccines that are right for you. At a minimum, almost everyone needs a flu vaccine once a year. 

 

Getting immunized is a lifelong, life-protecting job.

 

Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

For school kids, vaccines are key

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The best way to treat diseases is to prevent them in the first place. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)

By Robert Preidt, HealthDay

 

Be sure to put vaccinations on your children’s back-to-school lists, whether they’re just starting school or heading off to college, experts say.

 

By protecting infants, children and teens from serious diseases, vaccinations also protect families, schools and communities.

 

“The best way to treat diseases is to prevent them in the first place, and the diseases on the vaccine schedule are all preventable for the vast majority of our population,” said David Kimberlin, vice chair of pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

 

“The scientific evidence and public health statistics are comprehensive and compelling—properly scheduled and dosed vaccines are safe and effective, and they’re the reason we don’t see diseases like measles or whooping cough running rampant across our country,” Kimberlin said in a university news release.

 

Kimberlin is the American Academy of Pediatrics’ liaison to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory committee on immunization practices.

 

Immunization requirements vary by state. All have a minimum requirement for dosing each school year to attend public schools. Many require an updated immunization certificate before a child enters any public school or child care center.

 

Here’s what else you should know:

  • All 50 states and the District of Columbia require vaccinations for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, polio, measles and rubella.
  • 49 states and D.C. also require mumps vaccination.
  • 48 states and D.C. require varicella (chickenpox) vaccination. (Montana and Pennsylvania do not).
  • 45 states and D.C. require hepatitis B vaccination to enter kindergarten. (Alabama, Maine, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota do not).
  • Some states require Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type b); PCV (pneumococcal); flu and hepatitits A vaccines to enter kindergarten.

Insurance covers school vaccinations. If you don’t have insurance, your state health department can direct you to services that offer low-cost and/or free immunizations, said Dr. Rachael Lee, an assistant professor in the university’s division of infectious diseases.

 

Vaccinations are available at doctor offices, pharmacies, health centers and local health departments.

 

College students require specific vaccinations and should check with their school to learn which ones they need, university experts said.

 

Life-threatening infections such as meningococcal disease are more common among college-age people, but can be prevented through full vaccination, the experts said.

 

Reprinted with permission from Spectrum Health Beat.