This will only hurt a little…
Remember those words right before the nurse stuck a very long wicked looking needle in your arm? Or worse yet, your BUTT !
Once you were out of school you breathed a sigh of relief and never looked back. Well….. its time to look back and check out those immunizations you have been putting off for 40 years.
The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has issued guidelines for certain immunizations that are important to keep you free from some nasty diseases. Read on for a list of what you might be missing.
Pneumonia vaccine – two types PCV13 and PPSV. All adults over 65 and any adult at risk due to other diseases. Ask your physician which type you need. Needed every 10 yrs.
Shingles (Zoster) vaccine 1 dose for adults 60 and over even if you have had shingles.
Tetanus, Pertussis, Diptheria – a booster is needed every 10 years for all adults
HEP-B vaccine – all healthcare workers and at risk adults.
Mumps, Measles and Rubella (MMR) – If you were born after 1957, never vaccinated against these diseases or never had a case of mumps, measles or rubella as a child you should be immunized as an adult.
Flu vaccine – all adults yearly. Flu vaccine is made to protect against 3 strains of flu that are predicted to be most virulent in any given year. It changes from year to year and immunity only lasts 3 months.
Don’t wait. Talk to your doctor about adult immunizations.
Each one of the diseases listed above is communicable. Each one can be deadly, especially in those over 65 and any one with a compromised immune system, diabetes, or heart disease. As a nurse I have always said when it comes to needles/shots “It’s more blessed to give than receive ” as I don’t mind giving them but I surely hate getting them. I know the dangers of these diseases and the outcomes can be fatal. So to me and all the other adults out there who haven’t seen the school nurse in 40+ years, it’s time to grow up and roll up your sleeve one more time.
Think about it.
|