Every year, tens of thousands of adults in the United States suffer serious health problems, are hospitalized, or even die from diseases that could have been prevented by vaccination.
To celebrate the importance of immunizations throughout life – and to help remind adults that they need vaccines, too – the Madison County Health Department is recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month. This is the perfect opportunity to make sure adults are protected against diseases like flu, whooping cough, tetanus, shingles and pneumococcal disease.
Vaccinating our children is commonplace in the United States. But few adults know they need vaccines, and even fewer are fully vaccinated. Are you one of the millions of adults not aware of the vaccines you need?
Not only can vaccine-preventable diseases make you very sick, but if you get sick, you may risk spreading certain diseases to others. That’s a risk most of us do not want to take. Infants, older adults and people with weakened immune systems (like those undergoing cancer treatment) are especially vulnerable to infectious diseases. They are also more likely to have severe illness and complications if they do get sick. You can help protect your health and the health of your loved ones by getting your recommended vaccines. There are many things we want to pass on to our loved ones – illness is not one of them. Take charge of your health and help protect those around you by asking about vaccines at your next doctor’s visit.
The good news is that getting vaccinated is easier than you think. Adults can get vaccines at doctors’ offices, pharmacies, workplaces, health clinics and health departments. Visit vaccine.healthmap.org to help find a vaccine provider near you. Most health insurance plans cover the cost of recommended vaccines – a call to your insurance provider can give you the details.
What vaccines do you need?
All adults should get:
* Annual flu vaccine to protect against seasonal flu
* Td/Tdap to protect against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis
Some additional vaccines you may need (depending on your age, health conditions and other factors) include:
* Hepatitis A
* Hepatitis B
* Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
* Meningococcal
* Pneumococcal
* Shingles
Traveling overseas? There may be additional vaccines you need depending on the location. Find out at www.cdc.gov/travel.
Not sure what vaccines you may need? The CDC offers a short quiz at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adultquiz to help you find out which vaccines you might need. You can take the results of your quiz to your provider to discuss which vaccines are right for you.
All adults should get an annual flu vaccine to protect against seasonal flu and Td/Tdap vaccine to protect against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. You may also need other vaccines based on your age, health conditions, occupation, and other factors. If you are planning to travel outside of the U.S., check on any additional vaccines you may need. Some travel-related vaccines are part of a series or are needed months prior to your travel to be most effective, so be sure to plan ahead.
For more information about adult vaccines: www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults or visit www.healthymadison county.org for the Madison County Health Department’s Immunization clinic schedule. You may also call Madison County Health Department to schedule an appointment at 315-366- 2848.