When we think of immunizations, children often come to mind — but vaccines are important for adults, too. Vaccines can significantly reduce the risk of getting harmful, sometimes even deadly, diseases, as well as helping to prevent the spread of infections.
“Vaccines not only protect an individual in the short term from experiencing the worst, if any, symptoms of the targeted disease, but they also protect the recipient from many of the potential long-term side effects of an infection that that can otherwise impact him or her for months or even years afterwards, such as lung scarring or blood vessel inflammation,” said Dr. Elisabeth Arndt, family medicine resident physician at McLaren Greater Lansing Family Medicine.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccination rates for children and adults have fallen below pre-pandemic levels. And some serious infectious diseases, like measles, have resurged.
“Hearing about even one case of measles is alarming,” said Dr. Arndt. “The disease is incredibly contagious, and while most people associate it with its upper respiratory symptoms and hallmark rash, it can also cause a terrible encephalitis — inflammation of the brain — that leads to severe brain damage or even death. But we can prevent all that from happening with a vaccine that is safe and effective.”
People who are hesitant about getting themselves or their children vaccinated have many reasons, but the most common of these is concern about possible side effects.
“There are so many reasons why people are hesitant to vaccinate themselves or their children, and I am always willing to listen to every one of them and to do my best to lessen their fear,” said Dr. Arndt. “I talk to them about how the original report on the linkage between the MMR vaccine and autism was based on falsified data and bears no truth. I tell them how the flu shot cannot give them the flu because it contains only an inactivated, or killed, form of the virus and that the body aches they may experience after the shot are usually a sign that the vaccine is working and that their bones are producing protective antibodies. When they say they don’t want a vaccine because they want ‘natural immunity,’ I remind them that the routine vaccines we give simply signal the body’s natural processes and jump-start its manufacture of its own antibodies.”
Vaccines recommended during pregnancy:
Pertussis (whooping cough) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are both respiratory illnesses that can be spread by an infected person coughing, sneezing, or touching services that have the virus/bacteria on them.
While most adults can handle these illnesses easily and develop only mild symptoms, they can be deadly for babies who don’t have any protective antibodies against them. The good news is both of these illnesses can be prevented with vaccination. The Tdap vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). We recommend that it be administered to pregnant women during weeks 27 through 36 of pregnancy so they can make those antibodies for their babies before they are born, protecting them until they are old enough to get the shots and make antibodies themselves.
According to the CDC, there are two ways for a pregnant woman to protect her baby from getting very sick with RSV. She can choose to get the RSV vaccine during weeks 32 through 36 of her pregnancy from September to January, or the baby can get the RSV vaccine during his or her first RSV season (anytime from birth to 8 months of age).
The only vaccines you should NOT get when pregnant are the two that contain live viruses: the varicella vaccine against chickenpox and the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Vaccines recommended during infancy and childhood:
The vaccine schedule for children is based on age, and many vaccines require multiple doses. The first childhood vaccinations are recommended during infancy. Discussing the appropriate vaccine schedule for your child with your pediatrician or family physician will help to ensure your child’s protection.
“I can’t stress enough how important it is for parents to vaccinate their children. Administration of vaccines often hurts, and I know no parent wants to see their child in pain,” said Dr. Arndt. “But I also know that no parent wants to see their child sick or suffering from the long-term side effects of an illness that could have been prevented.”
Vaccines recommended during teenage years:
“When kids enter their teenage years, there are two essential vaccine series I recommend they start,” Dr. Arndt said. “The first is the HPV vaccine, which protects both girls and boys from a virus that can cause cervical or esophageal cancer and has even been shown to help eliminate those persistent warts on their hands and feet. The second one is the meningococcal vaccine, which protects them from bacterial meningitis, a terrifying disease that can kill children quickly.”
Vaccines recommended for adults:
It’s equally important for adults to stay up to date on their immunizations. Adults can also get the HPV vaccine up until the age of 45 and should get a Tdap booster every 10 years. Once they turn 50, they should get the two-dose vaccine series to protect them from shingles and the immense pain the virus causes.
“At the age of 60, they can get the RSV vaccine to protect them from that particular viral pneumonia,” said Dr. Arndt, “and when they turn 65, I recommend that all adults get pneumococcal vaccine to protect them from the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia. I also recommend the pneumococcal vaccine for my adult patients of any age if they smoke or have certain conditions that put them at risk, such as asthma, diabetes, or chronic heart, liver, or kidney disease, among others.
“And of course, I advise everyone, especially my immunocompromised patients, to get their yearly influenza vaccination and to follow the CDC guidelines for COVID boosters.”
Vaccines recommended for travel:
If you are leaving the country, it is important to look up the recommended vaccines for the country you are visiting.
“If someone is planning travel outside the country, I recommend that they look up their destination on the CDC’s traveler’s health website,” says Dr. Arndt. “They’ll see a list of all of the medications and vaccines recommended for travelers to that location, in addition to any relevant travel health notices and tips on how to avoid contracting illnesses for which we don’t yet have vaccines.”
In some cases, vaccines may not be an option for adults or children who have contraindications or who have had severe allergic reactions to vaccines in the past.
“There is a lot of misinformation out there about vaccines, and it’s difficult to know what is and isn’t true. If people have any doubts, questions, or fears surrounding vaccines, I encourage them to be open about their concerns with their physician,” Dr. Arndt said, “It’s our job to care about you. We want you to be safe, but it’s important to us that you feel safe, too.”
If you are looking for a primary care provider who are accepting new patients, visit mclaren.org/lansingproviders