As the hustle and bustle of the holidays come into full swing it is important to recap the importance of getting immunized, and which ones should take priority. There are many diseases and infections that a simple vaccine can protect a person from. Read on to walk through a recap of many of them, and a reminder of the safety their vaccine provides

The dangers of Influenza:

• A virus that infects the nose, throat, windpipe, and lungs.
• Highly contagious and is spread from one person to another by coughing, sneezing or talking.

There is a vaccine for people over the age of 6 months; everyone should get it as it lessens the severity of the side effects and reduces the need for hospitalization.

Meningococcus:

• Meningococcus is a bacterium. Meningococcal bacteria live on the lining of the nose and throat and are spread from one person to another by close personal contact
• Eventually getting into the bloodstream
• There are five different types based on a type of sugar that coats the bacteria

Hepatitis A:

• A viral infection is transmitted by contaminated food and water.

Children inoculated with the Hep A vaccine become immune and won’t get hepatitis A in the future. Because the virus in the vaccine is not live, they can not get hepatitis A from the vaccine.

Hepatitis B:

• Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver. An infection can be short-term or lead to a lifelong chronic illness resulting in liver scarring (cirrhosis) or liver cancer.

• It is commonly spread by blood and other bodily fluids.

What are Mumps:

• Mumps is a viral infection that causes people to look like chipmunks with swollen glands in the neck and below the ears.

The mumps vaccine is safe with minimal side effects such as low-grade fever, and pain at the injection site.

Measles:

• One of the most highly contagious diseases known. Almost everyone who is susceptible and encounters the virus will get sick.

It is important to note that the MMR vaccine used for measles and mumps DOES NOT cause autism.

 

These are just some of the critical vaccines a person should get in order to stay safe and healthy. Here are some others to read.