National Influenza Vaccination Week is scheduled this year from December 6th through December 12th, and that’s a good time to make sure your senior loved one gets their annual flu vaccination.
Getting the vaccination can prevent all kinds of health issues in the coming months, and since older people are often a little frailer in terms of their health than younger individuals, it can be extremely beneficial. In this article, we’ll discuss why it’s so important for seniors to get vaccinated each year, and what kind of health issues it can prevent.
Vaccines prevent major illnesses
Some diseases that vaccines can prevent would otherwise have serious consequences for seniors, and they can even spawn future illnesses. Vaccines provide protection against such illnesses, and also against any dangerous complications that might be triggered by the disease.
For instance, the flu typically attacks tens of millions of people in the US every year, and the flu vaccine helps people to avoid contracting influenza. Those who do contract the flu can look forward to several weeks of misery, and potential damage to body systems. Hepatitis B has no known cure, but being vaccinated against it will prevent being infected, so it’s certainly worth it to get vaccinated against Hepatitis B, which can cause cancer or liver damage.
All vaccines seniors get are safe
Vaccine safety is always given a very high priority by medical organizations, and the CDC will carefully review all safety data before endorsing any particular vaccine. Once vaccines have been administered, they will be constantly monitored for safety so that no unexpected mishaps take place.
Most vaccines carry only minor side effects when people get vaccinated, and those side effects that do appear will generally subside or disappear within a few days. It’s very rare for any person to have a long-lasting side effect, or one that is serious in nature, as a result of receiving a vaccine.
Some vaccines might be required
Some individuals are required to be vaccinated for their work, their school, or even possibly for travel, which means they have no choice but to get the vaccine. While your senior may not be in any of these categories, they may require a vaccine before traveling, especially if they’re traveling out of the US.
Military personnel and students are good examples of people who must get vaccinated against diseases because they come in close contact with a number of other individuals every day. People who are constantly at risk of catching and spreading such diseases are generally required to get vaccinated against them.
Healthcare workers are exposed to diseases every day, and since they contact so many people, they can also carry disease to all those contacts. That’s why getting vaccinated is a must for many healthcare workers. Before you can travel to any other place in the world, you’ll probably need to get at least one vaccination that protects you and those you come in contact with.
Best way to protect yourself
Vaccines are absolutely the best way to get the protection you need from preventable diseases. That’s because vaccines help to produce protective antibodies in your system that will fight infections for a long period of time.
By getting yourself vaccinated, you’ll be able to protect yourself and your senior loved ones and help avoid spreading diseases in your community that might be preventable.
Some individuals are unable to get vaccinated because of their age (like your elderly loved ones), or because they might have a weakened immune system. In situations like these, those people are less likely to catch a disease if you and the people they come in contact with have already been vaccinated. By getting yourself vaccinated, you can not only protect yourself, but you can reduce the possibility that someone you come in contact with will become infected.
Vaccines have proven to be effective for over a century
At one time, there were a number of diseases that routinely killed infants, children, and even adults all around the world. It’s still possible for individuals all over the globe to become seriously ill, or even to die after having contracted a preventable disease.
That’s why it’s so important for seniors to be vaccinated and for their caretakers to stay abreast of all developments with new and emerging vaccines. Over a period of time, the protection delivered by vaccines can diminish, which means you or your senior loved ones might need boosters.
For instance, getting a tetanus booster every 10 years will help protect against developing various types of infections on wounds. The best way to stay abreast of developments with vaccines is to consult with your healthcare provider or your physician, so as to learn about any vaccinations you should be taking advantage of.