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Health organizations celebrate National Immunization Awareness Month

08.20.2012

In addition to being the unofficial national back to school month, August brings us National Immunization Awareness Month. During this final part of summer, healthcare institutions and organizations remind people of the benefits of making sure they've received all the vaccinations they need. With the right shots, individuals can avoid requiring emergency medicine for an ailment that could have been prevented.

Some urgent care facilities and immediate care clinics may be able to provide vaccinations.

"Immunizing is the main reason certain diseases do not run rampant. However, the extraordinary success of vaccinations also creates vulnerability. The better vaccines work, the less people think about getting them. This is why National Immunization Awareness Month is so important," said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment program director Ryan Burns, quoted by CBS affiliate TV station WIBW.

Government-run news website Health Finder explains that, although children less than 6 years old need a handful of shots for various childhood diseases, persons of any age could require vaccinations. Maintenance of immunity from tetanus and diphtheria requires a fresh booster shot once every decade for all adults. Moreover, anyone over the age of 65 should get a pneumonia shot, Health Finder states.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) doesn't officially sponsor National Immunization Awareness Month, but it supports the initiative to inform people about potentially necessary vaccinations. Its website includes an advisory quiz, where visitors can enter their age, gender, and physical and geographic information to determine which vaccinations they may need. Conditions the CDC lists as preventable through vaccinations include seasonal influenza, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, shingles, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, chickenpox, measles, mumps and rubella. As the fall typically coincides with the flu season, getting a quick flu shot might be a wise decision, according to the CDC.  

Categories: Health and Wellness 

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