Adults also need vaccinations

Did you know that every year, tens of thousands of adults in this country 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 dis- eases 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.

The good news is that getting vaccinated is easier than you think. Adults can get vaccines at doctors’ offices, pharmacies, 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. Ask your provider to put your vaccination in the New York State Immunization Information System (NYSIIS), so that you will have all of your immunizations in one place for a complete vaccination record.

Not only can vaccinepreventable 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 rec- ommended vaccines. There are many things wewant 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.

All adults should get an annual flu vaccine to protect against seasonal f lu and Td/Tdap vaccine to protect against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. Some additional vaccines you may need, depending on your age, health conditions, occupation, and other factors include Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Meningococcal, Pneumococcal, and Shingles. If you are traveling overseas, there may be additional vaccines you need, depending on the location.