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5 Reasons to Get Vaccinated
August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM)! This annual campaign spotlights the importance of vaccination in protecting public health. From highly contagious and life-threatening diseases like measles to routine, yearly illnesses like the flu, immunization save lives. It’s estimated that Covid vaccines, for example, saved nearly 20 million lives globally.
Here are 5 reasons to get vaccinated:
1. Bacteria and viruses that cause death and illness still exist. Global travel makes it easy for diseases to spread. Immunization help prevent spread to those who cannot get the vaccine for health or age reasons.
2. Vaccines protect you against infections. Skipping vaccines opens the door to getting shingles, the flu, or even cancer through HPV (human papillomavirus) and hepatitis B. Vaccines are preventive care that keeps you healthy.
3. Vaccines can be the difference between life and death. Immunizations build the body’s natural defenses and increase the chance of survival and recovery. According to a 2021 review of studies, the flu vaccination lowered the risk of ICU admission by 26% and death by 31% in adults compared to those who were unvaccinated.
4. Vaccines are safe and do not cause the illnesses they prevent. The approval process in the U.S. is robust to ensure the safety of any vaccine. While side effects may be experienced, they are less than the actual disease.
5. Vaccine-preventable diseases are expensive. Diseases cost the community upwards of $10 billion per year. Individually, there is lost time at school or work and the learning or earnings with them.
Vaccinations are one of the key ways to protect everyone’s health , from newborns to senior adults. Check the CDC’s recommendations for adults of varying ages, including those living with health conditions. Review the list and talk to your doctor.
Nobel Peace Prize winner and leader Nelson Mandela summed up the importance of vaccines best when he said, “Immunization has been a great public health success story. The lives of millions of children have been saved, millions have the chance of a longer healthier life, a greater chance to learn, to play, to read and write, to move around freely without suffering.”