Immunizations for all Ages
Our free Flu Vaccine Clinic coming up on Sunday, November 13th from 10:30am to 1:00 pm. I thought this would be a good time to review some of the latest information on immunization and what it can do for us. Since I have been in Chicago, I have enjoyed reading up on local history. I just finished a book about Jane Addams’ Hull House. It included the deadly small pox epidemic which spread from the Midway of the World Columbian Exposition (1893) through the city. Many were more afraid of the vaccine than they were of the disease and died or were severely scarred as a result.
There are side effects to vaccines, it is true, but except in rare cases they are insignificant compared to the illness. I am old enough to have had two cousins contract polio before the vaccine was developed.
Influenza: There are now many vaccine options, although we will only have the standard killed virus inoculation at OCUUC. The Center for Disease Control advises everyone from 6 months and up to be vaccinated yearly. Children under 9 years old need 2 shots the first time, so we will only vaccinate those who have had vaccine in previous years. Our vaccine does contain the preservative thimerosal, a mercury based preservative which some people prefer to avoid in children and pregnancy.
It is important to note that fears related to autism and thimerosal exposure from vaccines is completely unfounded. No routine vaccines for children under 6 years of age have contained thimerosal (except flu vaccine) during the past 6 years, and yet rates of autism have not changed. I do recommend that all pregnant women seek the thimerosal-free vaccine from their health care provider since it is unknown what effect thimerosal may have on the fetus. There is good evidence that influenza immunity does pass to the fetus and protects the newborn from infection and hospitalization.
The new quadruple strength vaccine is for those over 65 when one’s natural immune response begins to decrease. Medicare covers that or the regular strength vaccine if you prefer.
The intradermal flu vaccine is injected into the skin instead of the muscle. It uses a much smaller needle than the regular flu shot, and it requires a lower dose to be as effective as the regular flu shot. It is available for those aged 18 through 64. It has no thimerosal.
The nasal-spray flu vaccine is a vaccine made with live, weakened flu viruses. The viruses in the nasal spray vaccine do not cause the flu. It is approved for use in healthy people 2 through 49 years of age who are not pregnant.
HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) has been in the news a lot lately. I suspect that it is only controversial because it is associated with sexual activity. Most first sexual encounters now occur in the seventh grade and HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US. There are over 100 types of HPV virus that affect humans; two of them cause cervical, oral, throat, anal, and penile cancer. The virus is transmitted by skin to skin or bodily fluid contact. There are two other types that cause genital warts. All four strains are combined in the Gardasil vaccine which is only effective if used before exposure. Three shots over 6 months are needed for immunity; it is recommended for males and females age 9-26. Why not over 26? Statistically almost all those older than 26 already have been exposed to HPV.
Shingles (Herpes zoster) is caused by the chicken pox virus. Once you have had chicken pox (even if so mildly that you never knew it), the virus stays in your system. It tends to manifest years later as shingles with sometimes disastrous results. The vaccine can be given to anyone over age 50. The older you are, the more likely you are to develop shingles. You can get it more than once. Medicare does not cover this, but many supplemental insurances do.
Pneumonia can be bacterial or viral. There is a vaccine for the bacterial type only. This should be given once to those 65 and older. Medicare covers it. Bacterial pneumonia is opportunistic; that is it generally infects someone already sick with something else. When young children and seniors get a very bad case of the flu, it is pneumonia that often kills them.
Important upcoming dates:
Flu Clinic is Nov. 13th
Bloodmobile on Dec. 11th
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