National Immunization Awareness Month Recognized in August

National Immunization Awareness Month is the perfect time to get up-to-date on vaccinations and shots for the current year- and this goes for both adults and children. While babies have immunizations they must get to help them stay healthy, adults also need shots to keep themselves healthy as well!

Flu shots are a perfect example. Everyone over the age of 6 months needs a seasonal flu shot yearly to best protect themselves from contracting the flu. Other shots can protect against infectious diseases such as measles, diphtheria and rubella. There are still many cases of people becoming ill and dying from these vaccine-preventable diseases. This is why it is so important to get them and make sure the rest of your family and friends know when to get these vaccines in order to keep everyone around you healthy!

Make an appointment with your doctor or nurse to discuss what shots are best at each age. Children need a series of shots from birth until age 6 while pre-teens need recommended shots around age 11 or 12. Shots for young children help protect against measles, polio, chicken pox, and hepatitis. Pre-teens need shots to protect against tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, meningitis, and HPV. As far as adults go, they usually need a Td booster shot every ten years to protect against tetanus and diphtheria. Lastly, people age 65 or older need a one-time pneumonia shot.

Visit your doctor today to find out what could help protect you and your family from diseases! Here are some great tools to help you figure out what shots are best for you and your family:

Adolescent and Adult Vaccine Quiz (http://www2.cdc.gov/nip/adultImmSched/)   

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam/default.htm)

Youtube video on National Immunization Awareness Month http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jnbo7TBK4wc&playnext=1&list=PL2987319DD4B275D1&feature=results_video