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Community Corner

Back-to-School Season in Geneva Is Right Time to Think About Immunization—for Adults, Too

With a new school year on the horizon, we all need to be reminded how important it is for both adults and children to keep their vaccinations current.

Getting immunized is super important for Geneva children l.

But it's important for adults, as well.

Immunizations are still one of the most important advances in the history of medicine. Immunizations prevent disease, prevent the spread of disease and more recently, even treat and prevent certain cancers. So why wouldn’t you want to immunize?

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While many people acknowledge the importance of immunizations, many others have adopted the false assumption that immunizations will somehow hurt them, cause autism or endanger their health.

However, there is no reputable scientific study that has shown there to be any psychological, neurological or physical problem. Physicians are constantly frustrated by the perpetuation of the misinformation associated with the use of immunizations. The majority of the misinformation about vaccinations was generated from a study done in the 1990s in England.

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The research methods were very poor and have been disproven on multiple occasions by very legitimate scientific studies.

Both children and adults need to ensure that their vaccinations are up-to-date because immunizations are the most important, powerful weapon versus disease and disease spread.

Did you know that approximately 15 of the most common infectious diseases that previously killed or disabled children are preventable with routine, childhood immunizations?

Childhood Immunizations Available Include:

  • DPT – (Diphtheria, which is a severe throat infection, pertussis, also known as whooping cough, which we see to some degree because adults have not been adequately immunized, tetanus, a muscle spasm disorder obtained through wounds to the skin.)
  •  HIB – ear infection, pneumonia, and meningitis protective
  • POLIO VACCINE
  • HEPATITIS A & B – liver infection
  • ROTO VIRUS – most common cause of diarrhea and can kill infants under the age of one
  • MMR (MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA/German measles, which can cause severe brain damage)
  • VARICELLA (chickenpox, which can cause severe respiratory infections and even meningitis in adults)
  • FLU VACCINE

Immunizations Required For School:

  •       DPT
  •       POLIO
  •       HIB
  •       MMR
  •       VARICELLA
  •       HEPATITIS B

Optional, But Recommended for School:

  •  HEPATITIS A (Food-borne Hepatitis)
  •  ROTO VIRUS

Recommended for Adolescents and Young Adults:

  • MENINGITIS VACCINE for Middle School and Adolescents
  • HPV/CERVICAL CANCER VACCINE (Gardasil) for male and female adolescents and adults.

Adults should have their tetanus and pertussis vaccinations updated every 10 years, their flu vaccine updated annually, and for certain individuals, pneumonia and shingles vaccines can be given.

It is also important to check with your healthcare provider for more specific vaccine requirements that are necessary to help stay safe and healthy while traveling abroad.

In order to ensure the safety and health of you and your family, it is crucial to keep your immunizations current, and remember to verify with your physician that you have been properly vaccinated. 

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