It seems like we blinked and suddenly, summer is coming to an end. Thankfully, August still offers great weather for fun in the sun, but also time for us all to get up to date with our health.
Take a moment right now to call your local clinic to set up an appointment, if needed. Make sure you’re up to date on all vaccinations for the upcoming fall season, and if you haven’t yet scheduled your yearly checkup, we can take care of that too – all at one visit.
We call it up to date for reason: Immunizations protect us all from serious illnesses – or those that can become serious in some cases. The list is long but I’ll name a few: influenza, COVID-19, diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, pertussis or “whooping cough,” meningococcal disease (meningitis), pneumonia, polio and more.
Children need to receive a number of immunizations as they grow, from infancy on up through age 18. Your doctor or provider will have this schedule in their medical record. Getting an appointment on the calendar now can help avoid a stacked-up schedule when football practice and 11 other activities spread you thin.
Adults also have a shot schedule that should remain up to date. For some, it might mean a booster or getting caught up on something you didn’t have as a child, such as chicken pox. The shingles vaccination is recommended for adults 50 and older – and it’s usually covered as part of most health insurance plans.
Flu shots are something the whole family needs, and fall is the best time to get them. Each year, the virus that leads to influenza changes, and so too do the vaccines. Getting one every year is a proven way to avoid an illness that remains a serious health threat across the country. Most years, flu causes around 50,000 deaths across the nation.
The COVID-19 vaccination is now available to all age groups as young as 6 months. Being up to date with your COVID vaccination means getting the initial vaccine series plus any boosters for your age range and risk factors. You can review your coronavirus history with your doctor.
As we plan for late summer lake trips and vacations, let’s remember the facts:
- Even though some diseases such polio and rubella are now rare, it’s still important to continue immunizing until they are completely eliminated.
- Vaccines keep you and your loved ones healthy so everyone can do the things they love.
- They’re safe and effective, and can prevent serious illnesses.
- Diseases such as COVID-19, polio, diphtheria, measles and HPV can be stopped when you keep up to date on your immunizations.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) take many steps to make sure that vaccinations are safe and effective.
Summer is sailing away quickly, but there’s time to start the fall season as safely as you can.