National Immunization Awareness Month: Keep on Track with Vaccines

Photo By Bernard Little | National Immunization Awareness Month is observed annually to encourage people to keep children up to date with their immunizations as kids head back to school. Adults are also urged to catch up on their vaccines if they are behind on them. "Immunizations are generally regarded as the safest and most effective way to prevent infectious diseases," state Walter Reed National Military Medical Center health-care providers.  

UNITED STATES

08.26.2022

Story by Bernard Little 

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to keep children up to date with their immunizations as kids head back to school this year. Adults are also urged to catch up on their vaccines, if they are behind in them, as well.
This is the advice from health-care professionals as the nation observes National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). Recognized annually during August, NIAM highlights the importance of vaccination for people of all ages.
“Immunizations are generally regarded as the safest and most effective way to prevent infectious diseases. Staying up to date on recommended vaccines is the best way to prevent these diseases occurring in the individual receiving the vaccine and within the public as a whole,” explained Navy Capt. (Dr.) Rachel Lee, chief of Allergy, Immunology and Immunizations at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and Army Col. (Dr.) David Schwartz, program director for the National Capital Consortium Allergy and Immunology Fellowship Program.
All vaccines are important, Lee and Schwartz explained, but they said some vaccines are required for children to go to school, while other vaccines are recommended.
“The Diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (DTap) vaccine; the polio vaccine; the Mumps, Measles and Rubella (MMR) vaccine; the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine; and the Hepatitis B vaccine are required by many school districts for children matriculating in kindergarten/elementary school. The annual influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are also recommended, but not required, for children in this age group,” the WRNMMC physicians added.
“For students going into the seventh grade, some school districts require Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis booster) and Meningococcal (MCV4) vaccines. The HPV vaccine is also recommended in this age group if it has not already been received,” Lee and Schwartz furthered. They encouraged parents and caregivers to check with the school district or individual school where their child will be attending school to find out more information about the vaccine requirements.
For those college-bound students, Lee and Schwartz said vaccines they should be up to date on include the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis booster), Meningococcal (MCV4), Meningitis B, and HPV. They also recommend checking with the college or university regarding the specific vaccine requirements for the school, as well as vaccines required for students living in dorms.
Regarding COVID-19 vaccines, Lee and Schwartz explained the vaccines “have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death from the virus, particularly in the elderly and in those with weakened immune systems or other medical diagnoses/co-morbidities. For those not in high-risk groups, getting the vaccine lessens the chances of spreading the virus to those who may be susceptible, such as parents or grandparents.”
The physicians offer similar advice regarding the flu vaccine.
“Receiving the influenza vaccine annually, usually around October of each year, is recommended to reduce the risk of serious illness from influenza,” Lee stated. “Flu typically peaks around January or February, so our mass vaccinations are planned to optimize immunity. The influenza vaccine is approved for people aged 6 months and older. Generally, the very young and the elderly are at the highest risk of serious disease (hospitalization or death) from influenza,” she added.
While some people may be behind on their immunizations, the WRNMMC physicians explained a “catch-up” schedule can be devised for an individual patient based on which vaccines are needed. “If more than one dose of a vaccine is needed, they can generally be received in shorter intervals, such as one month between doses, to help the patient get caught back up and fully protected from vaccine-preventable diseases sooner,” they said.
To those people who may feel vaccines are unsafe or will do them more harm than good, Lee and Schwartz said they try to explain to those individuals that “vaccines, like any medication, have side effects and risks. However, the risks of serious outcomes, including permanent injury or death, is much higher from the disease itself rather than from the vaccine. If you have specific concerns about a vaccine or a specific side effect, make an appointment with your primary-care provider to discuss these concerns prior to deciding on whether or not to get the vaccine.”
“The human immune system is exposed to thousands, even millions of different microbes over the course of your lifetime,” Schwartz explained. “Vaccines are a way of helping your immune system mount a stronger and faster response in case you are exposed to one of these dangerous microbes. By establishing immunity through vaccines, you decrease the chances of serious infection from the microbe if you get exposed,” he added.
He also addressed herd immunity, often discussed when the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. Herd immunity occurs when enough people in a population become immune to an infection, whether through previous infections or vaccination, thereby reducing the likelihood of infection for individuals who lack immunity.
“While being infected with a virus or bacteria will often provide some immunity, there is also the risk of long-term damage or even death from the virus or bacterial itself, which is significantly higher than the risks associated with vaccination,” Schwartz stated.
“It is recommended that you make an appointment with your primary-care provider to determine which vaccines your child needs and/or which vaccines he or she should receive first if multiple vaccines are needed or recommended,” Lee said.
Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that this year’s National Immunization Awareness Month observance should also serve as a reminder for all people to catch up on routine visits to their health-care providers, as well, which may have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC encourages people to schedule appointments to ensure they are up to date on annual exams and recommended vaccines, stating, “Research has consistently shown that health-care providers are the most trusted source of vaccine information for parents and patients.”
For more information regarding National Immunization Awareness Month, visit the Defense Health Agency’s website at www.health.mil/vaccines, or the CDC’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam/index.html.

• Date Taken: 08.26.2022
• Date Posted: 08.26.2022 12:53
• Story ID: 428129
• Location: US