Vaccinations have gotten a bad rap in recent years. But what the national conversation often doesn’t touch on is the benefit that vaccinations offer us as individuals and a nation. August is National Immunization Awareness Month, so this is a good time to review.
Before the advent of vaccinations, hundreds of thousands of Americans each year came down with diphtheria, measles, mumps, and pertussis, and hundreds or thousands more developed polio, rubella, and tetanus. Now most of these diseases have been nearly or completely eliminated. Worldwide, vaccinations against just nine diseases may have prevented roughly 3 million deaths.
Disease-preventing shots aren’t just for children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends certain vaccinations for adults. Pregnant women, people with particular medical conditions ranging from HIV to diabetes and liver disease, people who work as health-care providers, and those who live or work around small children may need to follow different schedules or avoid particular vaccinations. But here’s a general timetable to keep in mind:
- Hepatitis A and B: Get vaccinated if your behaviors put you at particular risk of the disease or you simply want to be protected from it.
- Human papillomavirus: Adult women up to age 26 may benefit from this vaccination, which protects against the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer, if they haven’t received it already.
- Influenza: Get one dose annually throughout adulthood.
- Measles, mumps, rubella: You need at least one dose of MMR if you were born in 1957 or later. Some people need a second dose; talk to your doctor.
- Pneumococcal disease (such as pneumonia): Adults who smoke or have certain diseases need one to two doses before the age of 65, and one at 65 if you have never been vaccinated.
- Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis: Have a one-time dose of the Tdap vaccination if you’re an adult under 65 and you haven’t received it previously or don’t know if you’ve had it. Then get the Td booster every 10 years.
- Varicella: If you haven’t had chickenpox or you only received one dose of vaccination, talk to your doctor.
- Zoster: Adults 60 and older should receive a single dose of this vaccine to protect against shingles.
For more information on vaccinations, visit the Centers for Disease Control website at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/
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