Archive: Around Town

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). The goal of NIAM is to increase awareness about immunizations across the life span.

As summer vacations near their end and fall schedules fill up the calendar, it’s a perfect time to remind family, friends, and co-workers to catch up on their vaccinations.

Immunization is one of the most significant public health achievements of the 20th century. Vaccines have eradicated smallpox, eliminated polio in the United States and significantly reduced the number of cases of measles, diphtheria, rubella, pertussis (whooping cough), and other diseases. But despite these efforts, people in the U.S. still become ill or in some cases die from these and other vaccine-preventable diseases. For example, in Tompkins County pertussis outbreaks have occurred in some communities in recent years.

Vaccines offer safe and effective protection from infectious diseases. By staying up-to-date on the recommended vaccines, individuals can protect themselves, their families and friends, and their communities from serious, life-threatening infections.

Children under the age of 6 receive a series of immunizations against measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, varicella (chickenpox), polio, HIB (haemophilus influenza type B) and pneumonia. Pre-teens (11- 12 year olds) are immunized against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and meningitis. It is recommended that pre-teens receive the HPV vaccine.

Adults should receive a tetanus shot every 10 years and anyone over the age of 65 should be immunized against pneumonia. And if they had chicken pox as a child they should consider immunization against shingles.

Tompkins County Health Department (TCHD) encourages parents to contact their children’s physicians to ensure that vaccinations are up-to-date. And it would be wise for adults to call their primary care physician about appropriate vaccinations.

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