Yesterday I got my flu shot.
Here’s what I’d like you to know about the flu shot.
The flu shot takes about 2 weeks to reach it’s max protectiveness, so I like to get it around mid-October.
Flu seasons vary from year to year. Some years the flu comes early in November or December; other years, like last year, it peaks late in April or May.
Kids recently started another School Year. Most parents, I hope, made sure their children’s vaccinations were up to date.
But adults need vaccinations, too. So it’s a great time for all parents—and all adults—to double check that you’ve had the recommended vaccinations for your age group.
Here is a list of 7 vaccinations adults should get, or at least talk to a care provider about.
A … read on
August is National Immunization Awareness Month.
I’m very much pro-vaccines, and I’ve written many posts on the topic. I’ll link to some at the bottom of the post.
But first I want to share this video of one of my favorite medical vloggers, Doctor Mike, as he comments on the debate between pro-vaxxers and anti-vaxxers on YouTube’s Middle Ground series.
What I like … read on
Two deadly diseasesMeasles and the flu have been two popular topics in our local news.
Oddly enough, my husband has a connection to both these viral epidemics!
Since January, our state (Washington) has been dealing with a measles outbreak. It began when an unvaccinated adult returned from overseas, unknowingly infected with the measles. This person went to many public places and exposed countless individuals to the virus.
One … read on
Update April 2019: Shingrix is too popular and there is a shortage! Ask your pharmacy about getting on a waiting list so they can contact you when the vaccine is available again. It may be 6-8 months.
I’m scheduled for an annual exam later this month. As I was perusing the long list of preventive health recommendations for adults, I noticed the shingles vaccine is … read on
Another measles outbreakMy state, Washington, has one of the highest vaccine opt out rates in the country.
Not good.
Thanks to a recent outbreak of measles here, a state of emergency has been declared and legislators have introduced a bill to eliminate the personal exemption for the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella).
Good.
Washington is one of only 18 states that allows parents to refuse vaccinations for … read on
Life before vaccines and antibioticsI know I complain a lot about our current healthcare system and the overuse of medical care.
BUT, I am also very thankful for the advances medicine has made in the last 100 years or so.
The reminder to be more appreciative comes from the hours I spent over the holidays reading old family journals, letters and postcards, most of them dated between 1900 and … read on
Get ready for flu seasonLast year’s flu season was nasty.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) labeled it a “high severity season” because the circulating strains of influenza virus were especially virulent and the season lasted longer than usual.
It’s impossible to predict when flu season will start, but it could be as early as October. The CDC recommends getting your flu shot by the end of October, but … read on
It’s time for those back-to-school shots!It’s that time of year when the days shorten, stores advertise back-to-school clothes, and parents scramble to make appointments with their kids’ pediatricians for sport physicals and immunizations.
At least, I hope they do.
I am a fervent believer in vaccinations, even though I live in the state (Washington) with–sadly–the highest “opt out” rate in the country.
In 1998 a medical journal published … read on
Younger is better, but…Bottom line on top: There is a benefit to getting the HPV vaccine after 26.
The HPV vaccine protects against the most common types of viruses that not only cause cervical cancer, but mouth, throat and anal cancers, as well.
It’s most effective when given before a child becomes sexually active.
But what about all the 20-somethings out there who didn’t have access to this vaccine? … read on