August 2, 2010

Immunizations Are Not Just For Kids  

State public health director reminds Illinoisans about adult vaccinations during National Immunization Awareness Month  

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Immunizations against more than a dozen diseases are recommended to span a person’s life – from infancy to old age. National Immunization Awareness Month is designed to educate people that getting vaccines recommended for infants, children, adolescents, adults and seniors, are crucial to protecting not only that person’s health, but the health of those around them.

“As parents schedule back-to-school appointments to take their children for school required vaccinations, it’s a good time to remind adults about the importance of getting their own immunizations,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Damon T. Arnold said. “Many adults are not aware that a tetanus and diphtheria vaccine, or Td booster shot, should be given every 10 years. This August during National Immunization Awareness Month, I encourage adults to check their immunization records and make sure they’ve received all the recommended vaccinations.”

Vaccines are among the most cost-effective and successful public health tools for preventing disease and death. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccines have eradicated smallpox, eliminated wild poliovirus in the United States and significantly reduced the number of cases of measles, diphtheria, rubella, pertussis and other diseases. But measles still infects about 23 million people around the world every year and kills about 480,000 of them. An infected person can travel to the U.S. and we can travel anywhere in the world. A single case of disease will remain a single case if everyone around the infected person is immune. If they are not, a single case can turn into an epidemic.

For childhood and adult immunization schedules, log onto www.idph.state.il.us/about/shots.htm.