HEALTH ++ WELLNESS WELLNESS HEALTH
Are Vaccines Important? story by Donna Tracy, Communications Coordinator, HopeHealth
Vaccine. Vaccination. First dose. Second dose. Lately, terms like these seem to be heavily used in all areas of the media. Of course, there is much focus on one significantly-trending vaccine: COVID-19. There is also a lot of focus on populations most at risk for complications from the virus, especially seniors. While they are very important to the safety of our seniors, COVID-19 vaccines should not replace other less-trendy vaccines and preventive medicine. “Even before the onset of any symptoms, any virus can spread between persons by contact or through handling of shared objects,” said Dr. Heather Leisy, director of preventive medicine at the HopeHealth Medical Plaza in Florence. Vaccines recommended for seniors by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include: Ages 65 and older: • Annual influenza shot • Tdap booster every 10 years for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) • 2 doses of zoster recombinant to prevent shingles • 1 or 2 doses of pneumococcal polysaccharide to protect against pervasive infections such as meningitis Recommended for ages 65 or older with additional risk factors: • 1 or 2 doses of MMR for measles, mumps, and rubella • 2 doses of the varicella vaccination (chickenpox) 40
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April March2021 2021
• 1 dose of pneumococcal conjugate to protect against infections such as pneumonia • 2 or 3 doses of hepatitis A and hepatitis B to prevent liver infections • 1 or 2 doses of meningococcal A, C, W, Y to prevent meningitis • 2 or 3 doses of meningococcal B to prevent meningitis • 1 or 3 doses of haemophilus influenzae type b for protection against infections that can lead to severe pneumonia, meningitis, and other invasive diseases For those ages 50-64, the same vaccines are recommended in addition to one or two doses of MMR for measles, mumps, and rubella if not received earlier. Many vaccines may have been administered to an individual at a younger age and immunodeficient health conditions can impact the recommendation of any vaccine, so it is always important to have a conversation with your primary care provider to navigate the vaccination schedule for your personal health care. Each disease prevented through these vaccinations once ravaged populations just as virulently as COVID-19 is impacting the global population today.
