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A MATTER OF HEALTH: Top adult immunizations to stay healthy

A UCare medical expert says if you delayed your immunizations during the pandemic, now is a great time to catch up!

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Health experts say immunizations are important at every stage of life. Just as you stuck to a vaccination schedule as a child under your parents’ supervision, experts say adults should continue that habit in order to stay healthy. 

Some of the diseases that are more common in adulthood are shingles, HPV and pneumonia. Experts say immunizations now available have a high rate of success in preventing these and other diseases. Adults should talk with their family doctor to make sure they are on schedule to have a healthy year.

However, if you delayed your immunizations during the pandemic, now is a great time to catch up. Clinics have safety protocols in place, and just as it’s important to protect yourself against flu and COVID-19, it’s important to protect yourself against other dangerous infectious diseases. Pharmacies can also give many of the vaccines that adults need. Many times, they can be done in just one visit. 

“While the vaccine schedule for adults might not look as complicated as it does for children, there really are several important shots that are needed. Two shots that are specific to adults include a shingles vaccine for people over 50 and a pneumonia vaccine commonly at age 65,” says Dr. Scott Kammer, UCare Medical Director. “Adults also need to stay current on their tetanus shot at least every 10 years, which can include the whooping cough (or pertussis) vaccine. They may need to complete some of the childhood series, like HPV (which is the human papillomavirus), hepatitis A and B, and meningitis.”

Experts stress it’s not too late to catch up on other childhood immunizations that might have been missed as well. People with serious medical problems, or those planning certain foreign travel, may want to discuss with their doctor any special considerations that might apply. 

“Two very important vaccines are regularly talked about right now. Every year in the fall, adults should get the influenza vaccine. And now, the vaccine for COVID-19 is a high priority for every adult as well," Dr. Kammer said. 

Health experts agree immunizations protect us from getting sick with certain diseases and also from spreading them to others. 

"Preventive medicine is all about taking these steps while you are still healthy and before you get the infection. The diseases that we have vaccines to prevent are certainly ones to take seriously. Vaccines might prevent hospitalizations and death, serious illness, certain cancers, missed work; and they reduce the chance of you infecting others around you," says Dr. Kammer. 

Doctors stress the timing of these vaccine schedules is not random. 

"The recommendations are well-researched and supported by the CDC experts to ensure we have the best age to get the immunization, and the best interval for when future doses are needed," adds Dr. Kammer. 

For more information, call UCare at (612) 676-6500.

Credit: KARE

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