Why even adults need vaccines

(NC) Most parents recognize the benefits of vaccines and make sure their children get all their recommended shots. What about their own protection? Here are five facts you might not know about adult vaccination.

Vaccination is not child's play. Some diseases are more common in adults, even healthy ones. For example, if you had chickenpox as a child, you may get the painful and blistering shingles rash as an adult. The shingles vaccine can help protect your health as you get older.

Only 3 percent of adults are up to date. For some diseases, protection from vaccination can decrease as you age. Getting another dose, called a “booster shot”, can increase immunity and provide the best protection. Some adults may also have missed one or more of their vaccines when they were a child. Did you know you should have one dose of tetanus and diphtheria vaccine every ten years?

You may bring home more than memories from your vacation. In some countries, vaccination programs and healthcare systems are not as effective as they are here. This means many diseases can be imported from outside of Canada. Two of the most common vaccine-preventable diseases affecting travellers are hepatitis A and B.

Wisdom is not an effective shield. As we get older, our immune systems can get weaker. Many vaccines are recommended for adults 65 and older, especially the annual flu shot. Doctors and healthcare professionals will make sure you are fully protected.

Getting vaccinated creates “community immunity”. When most people in a community have been vaccinated against a disease, the chance of an outbreak is greatly reduced. Community immunity protects those who may be vulnerable to the disease, such as babies too young to be immunized, adults 65 and older, and people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.

Find more information at Canada.ca/vaccines.