Staying Current on Vaccinations
There is a common misconception that the need for vaccinations stops after childhood, but many vaccinations may need to be updated as adults. Over 30,000 adult deaths per year could have been prevented just by getting a vaccine. No matter your age, it�s important to understand the importance of staying current on vaccinations.
Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B can cause serious liver disease and kill over 4,500 adults ages 15 and older each year. Individuals traveling to other countries and working or volunteering in a hospital are at an increased risk of contracting these diseases, but they can also be contracted through contaminated food or drink. Protection against Hepatitis A and B requires a series of vaccinations that need to be administered on a schedule.
Tdapis the adult combination shot that children receive in the DTaP. This one-time adult vaccine protects against three serious diseases that adults are easily susceptible to without the shot: tetanus, pertussis and diphtheria. Parents of young children especially need to get this vaccine to prevent their child from getting sick with pertussis (also known as whooping cough) as the infection can be much worse, even fatal, if an infant or child contracts it.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella are also easily taken care of with a combination shot. Keeping measles vaccination rates high is critical for preventing measles in the United States. On July 2, 2015, Washington State Department of Health confirmed a measles-related death (last report of this took place in 2003). Anyone born during or after 1957 who has not had mumps or has not been vaccinated is at risk of getting mumps and should receive at least one dose of MMR vaccine. According to the CDC, rubella virus transmission has been interrupted in the Americas, but rubella virus continues to circulate widely, especially in Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia regions. Some adults are at higher risk for these illnesses, including college students and other post�high school students, international travelers and healthcare personnel, and may need two doses of the vaccine.
Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, causes the hospitalization of about 1 million people and another 50,000 deaths in the United States annually. Pneumococcal vaccine is one vaccine that prevents infection by bacteria or viruses that may cause pneumonia. In 2014, the CDC released new recommendations for seniors over age 65 including two doses of pneumococcal vaccine.
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a painful skin rash, often with blisters, that is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles vaccination is recommended for anyone who has had chickenpox in their lifetime because the virus is within the person�s body and can cause shingles to develop. A single dose of shingles vaccine is recommended for adults 60 years of age and older, according to the CDC.*
The above vaccinations can be administered by The Little Clinic. For a list of availability and pricing please, visit http://www.thelittleclinic.com.
*The Little Clinic does not administer shingles vaccination for anyone 65 years and older. The Kroger pharmacy can assist with vaccinations for those over age 65.