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Last week in The New York Times there was an article about the newest big thing — grandparenting classes. It seems that so many ideas regarding care of newborns has changed since Mary and I were new parents that “re-education” was in order. So, Mary and I signed up for a “Grandparent’s Class” at Northwestern Hospital in Chicago in September. In reviewing the pre-work for the class I noticed that among the recommendations was confirmation that all grandparents had up to date Tdap, that is a combination of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccines. This made me pause to reflect again on the importance of vaccination in the health of individuals and communities. The measles outbreak that started in DisneyLand in California last December thrust the issue of immunization and vaccines into the headlines. But children aren’t the only ones we need to worry about getting immunized.
Adults need to be concerned about what shots they need to get, too. There is a rising concern about the immunization status of our aging baby-boom population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) only 45 percent of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 were vaccinated against influenza in the 2012-13 seasons, and the adult rates for six important non-flu vaccines are very low.
Some adults who aren’t vaccinated may not realize they’re not only at risk of becoming ill, but that they also pose a risk of passing diseases on to others. For example, adults are most commonly the source of whooping cough infections in infants.
Less than 18 percent of adults ages 19 to 64 received a Tdap vaccine in the past eight years – this vaccine protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, which is the formal name for whooping cough. And for adults in the same age group who are considered high risk, less than 22 percent received one of two pneumococcal vaccines to protect themselves against the bacteria that cause both pneumonia and ear and sinus infections.
The statistics for shingles are worse – only one in four adults older than 60 have gotten the vaccine.
The same virus that causes chicken pox can sit dormant in your body for years. It can reactivate and cause the painful, blistering shingles. Not only can adults get shingles, it can recur and cause serious complications in the eyes and lead to a painful aftereffect called post-herpetic neuralgia.
Similarly, the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella isn’t just important to think about when it comes to children.
For adults born in 1957 or later who don’t have a record of receiving the MMR vaccine or having the diseases, they should talk to their physician about how many doses they need, especially with the latest measles outbreak.
If you’re not sure if you’ve been immunized, you can ask your doctor to perform a blood test to see if you’re immune to particular vaccine-preventable diseases. You can also ask your doctor about what the vaccine schedule is for your age group or you can check it on the CDC’s website.
For those concerned with the cost of getting immunized, it’s important to note that the Affordable Care Act requires health plans to cover all vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) with no copays.
I know there’s been a lot of controversy about vaccines but please believe me, the best source for accurate, reasonable information is your health care team and infectious disease pros, not Jenny McCarthy.
Now, excuse me, I have to get back to my grandparent homework, September’s around the corner!