It is apparently National Immunization Month (to raise awareness about the importance of keeping up to date on vaccines) so I’m going to take time in this post trying to write about immunization.
I think most everyone who hasn’t been beaten with the fear stick over the use of vaccines in children probably know why it’s important that they and their kids get vaccinated for certain diseases. It’s a form of prevention that has been effective in reducing the risk of acquiring a disease. Of course there are some risks, and vaccines aren’t always guaranteed to work, but it is still worth it to at least think about getting vaccinated against some diseases (it’s not like we have the technology to prevent ALL diseases).
If you’re concerned about who shouldn’t get vaccinated, talk to your health care provider about your concerns and read about it here. Vaccinations might also be difficult to get if you don’t have regular access to health care, so if that is the case, check if your state has a program for that. As far as I’m aware of, there are public clinics which are run by volunteers which can provide vaccines.
- Allyson