Vaccines are not just for kids
We are never too old for vaccination. With age, our immune system loses some of its protective ability, and the presence of chronic health diseases make us more susceptible to infections. Vaccines boost our immunity and provide us with a protection shield. Millions of people die worldwide every year from vaccine preventable diseases like hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, pneumococcal diseases, influenza, measles, mumps, rubella, Japanese encephalitis, cervical cancer, etc. The scenario in India is also similar. Still awareness about the importance of vaccines in adults is very low in India.
Why adults need vaccines ?
Adults need vaccines for various reasons. Firstly, they might not have received full immunization in childhood, and also some of the vaccines are newly developed and were not available at that time. Secondly, certain diseases, like tetanus, need booster dose of vaccines to keep us protected. Thirdly, immune system is compromised in people having asthma, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease, and in smokers.
Who needs vaccines ?
Ideally, every adult needs vaccines. However, vaccines for adults are recommended depending upon their age, lifestyle, medical conditions, travel plans and past history of vaccination. For example, diabetes patients are at higher risk of developing certain life threatening diseases. They need hepatitis B, pneumococcal and influenza vaccines. Likewise people with asthma and other lung diseases need vaccines for pneumococcal and influenza. Pregnant females also need certain vaccines during each pregnancy. It not only protects the mother, but also provides short term protection to the babies till their immunization starts. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) causes about 70% of cervical cancers. So HPV vaccine is important for all girls from 11 years through 26 years of age. These vaccines are recommended by International bodies like World Health Organization, Centre for Disease Control, American Diabetes Association, etc. As we all know swine flu has caused a lot of deaths in our country in the last few years. However, it can be prevented by getting the influenza vaccine every year. Influenza vaccine is recommended for every person above six months of age. It also lowers the rate of heart attacks in patients with heart diseases. Though the vaccine provides only upto 70% protection, but it makes your illness milder even if you get sick. And it totally justifies the phrase “something is better than nothing”.
Myth vs Fact
The biggest myth about adult vaccination is that people think vaccines don’t work in adults and are meant only for children. Unfortunately, such misconceptions lead to missed opportunities for vaccination. We think that just eating right food and doing exercise would keep us healthy. But we have to be proactive and make sure that our immunization is also up-to-date to live a healthy lifestyle. Vaccines significantly reduce the rate of hospital admissions, thus, improving the quality of life and decreasing the mortality and health care costs. So don’t wait, consult your health care provider immediately and get vaccinated to protect yourself and your loved ones. For more information you can visit www.facebook.com/AdultVaccination. Also the adult vaccination schedules are available on the websites of the international health care organizations.