The summer and spring seasons are ideal times to make sure you are vaccinated, before work or school begins.
Vaccinations are injections of weakened microbes that stimulate the adaptive immune system to create antibodies to fight off a particular pathogen.
These pathogens will be encountered later, but because of the vaccination, your body will have the proper shield to protect itself from these deleterious, often deadly infections. When considering all the bacteria and viruses in our everyday environment, vaccination is the most effective way to prevent disease and infection.
According to the MayoClinic and Center for Disease Control, here are some of the vaccinations recommended for adults:
Seasonal Influenza (Flu)
- Who Needs It: The flu vaccine is recommended for all adults. Vaccination is especially important if you have a chronic illness or a weak immune system: If you work in a health care setting, if you live in a long term care facility, or if you live with, or care for anyone at high risk of flu-related complications, including children age 5 or younger. The flu shot vaccine — not the nasal spray vaccine — is recommended for pregnant women.
- When to Have It: Get one dose of the flu vaccine every year, ideally in October or November.
- Who Shouldn't Have It: The flu vaccine isn't recommended if you're allergic to eggs, if you had an allergic reaction to a previous flu vaccine, or you're currently ill. Consult your doctor if you've ever had Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Meningitis
- Who Needs It: Get the meningitis (meningococcal) vaccine if you didn't have it as a child or adolescent, if you're living in a dormitory for the first time, if you travel to or work in parts of the world where meningitis is common, or if you had your spleen removed. The vaccine may also be recommended if you're at high risk or an outbreak occurs in your community.
- When To Have It: Get one dose of the meningitis vaccine any time. If you're age 55 or younger, get the meningococcal conjugate vaccine. If you're age 56 or older, get the meningococcal polysaccharide vaccine. Get a second dose eight weeks later if you have certain health conditions, such as HIV.
- Who Shouldn't Have It: The meningitis vaccine isn't recommended if you're currently ill. Consult your doctor if you've had Guillain-Barre syndrome.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- Who Needs It: Get the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine if you're a woman age 26 or younger, and you didn't have it as an adolescent. Consider the HPV vaccine if you're a man age 26 or younger. For men, the HPV vaccine helps prevent genital warts and reduces transmission of the virus that can cause cervical cancer in women.
- When To Have It: Get one dose of the HPV vaccine at any time. Get a second dose one to two months after the first dose, and a third dose six months after the first dose.
- Who Shouldn't Have It: The HPV vaccine isn't recommended if you're allergic to yeast or latex, you had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine, you're pregnant or you're currently ill.
Hepatitis A
- Who Needs It: Get the hepatitis A vaccine if you want to protect yourself from hepatitis A, if you have a clotting-factor disorder or chronic liver disease, if you're a man who has sex with men, if you inject illicit drugs or have sex with someone who does, if you're a health care worker who might be exposed to the virus in a lab setting, or if you travel to or work in parts of the world where hepatitis A is common.
- When To Have It: Get one dose of the hepatitis A vaccine at any time. Get a second dose six to 18 months after the first dose.
- Who Shouldn't Have It: The hepatitis A vaccine isn't recommended if you had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine, or if you're currently ill.
Hepatitis B
- Who Needs It: Get the hepatitis B vaccine if you want to protect yourself from hepatitis B, if you're sexually active but not in a mutually monogamous relationship, if you're a man who has sex with men, if you have sex with a person infected with hepatitis B, if you inject illicit drugs, you're receiving hemodialysis, if you're a health care or public safety worker who might be exposed to infected blood or body fluids, if you live with someone who has a chronic hepatitis B infection, or if you travel to or work in parts of the world where hepatitis B is common.
- When To Have It: Get one dose of the hepatitis B vaccine at any time. Get a second dose one month after the first dose. Get a third dose at least two months after the second dose and at least four months after the first dose.
- Who Shouldn't Have It: The hepatitis B vaccine isn't recommended if you're allergic to baker's yeast, if you had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine, or if you're currently ill.
Haemophilus Influenzae Type b (Hib)
- Who Needs It: Get one dose of the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine if you haven't previously received it, and you have certain health conditions — such as sickle cell disease, leukemia or HIV — or if you had your spleen removed.
- When To Have It: Get one dose any time.
- Who Shouldn't Have It: The Hib vaccine isn't recommended if you're currently moderately or severely ill.
Source: Mayo Clinic
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