Immunizations Are Preventive Care for All Ages
September 2, 2019
By: Mary Ann Boyer
Categories: Flu and Infectious Diseases
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the U.S., vaccination programs have eliminated or significantly reduced many vaccine-preventable diseases. However, some of these diseases still exist and may once again become common — and deadly — if we don’t get the vaccinations we need and when we need them. Mercy Health would like to encourage you to care for yourself and your loved ones by reminding you of the importance of immunizations.
Immunizations aren’t just for youngsters. The CDC says we all need them to help protect patients, medical staff and ourselves from serious diseases and illness. In fact, according to the CDC, everyone over the age of six months needs a seasonal flu shot every year. The seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others from the flu.
Other vaccinations work best when they are given at certain ages. Talk to your doctor or nurse about which shots you and your family need. For a complete list of immunizations and a schedule for receiving them, visit the CDC Immunization Schedules website.
To ensure vaccines are held to the highest standard of safety and efficacy, the CDC has measures in place to test and continuously monitor them. To learn more, visit the CDC Vaccine Safety website.
Having a primary care physician (PCP), who can coordinate your care, including preventive care and immunizations, is vital to your good health. A PCP typically specializes in family medicine, internal medicine or general practice. If you don’t have a PCP, finding one is easy. Just visit your insurance carrier’s website, look for the “find a doctor” area and follow the instructions.
Mercy Health is committed to providing resources that promote well-being though body, mind, and spirit and is dedicated to helping you live a healthy life.
Disclaimer: Trinity Health is a Catholic health care facility that is firmly committed to maintaining fidelity to its Catholic identity by closely conforming to the Ethical and Religious Directives (ERDs) for Catholic Health Care Services.
CDC.gov and the links it provides are independent sites and have no obligation to provide information that is always congruent with the ERDs. Trinity Health cannot guarantee their content and ask for your discretion when using information from this site.