Vaccines can prevent many infectious diseases that can make you sick or even die. Examples of vaccine preventable diseases are measles, tetanus, and whooping cough. Vaccines help the body learn how to defend itself from disease. This is known as immunity. Vaccination, also known as immunization, is safe and effective.
On-time vaccination during childhood is important because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. Vaccines are tested to ensure that they are safe and effective for children to receive at the recommended ages. Adults need to keep their vaccinations up to date because immunity from childhood vaccines can wear over time.
Vaccination is one of the most convenient and safest preventive actions you can do to protect your health.
Why is this important?
Vaccines save lives. They prevent life-threatening disease and death for yourself and also protect those around you. Vaccines are the easiest way to prevent serious illness and death from infectious diseases.
What is known?
Vaccine preventable diseases have a high impact on our health and health care systems. They can cause long-term illness, hospitalization, and death. Influenza, or the flu, alone is responsible for 20,000 to 40,000 deaths annually. During epidemic years this increases up to 50,000 deaths and an estimated 200,000 excess hospitalizations.
Vaccines are safe. They are carefully reviewed for safety before and after they meet approval for use by the public.
Some people should not get certain vaccines or should wait before getting them because of age, health condition or other factors.
Who is at risk?
Everyone is at risk for vaccine preventable diseases. Those with compromised immune systems and children are the most vulnerable to vaccine preventable diseases.
Reduce your risk:
Stay up to date on all recommended vaccinations for yourself and your child.
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