Immunizations

What are immunizations?

Immunization is the process of making someone immune to an infectious disease. This usually happens by injecting a small, weakened version of the disease which triggers your body’s immune system to develop antibodies that fight the infection. 

Once your immune system has encountered a disease, it keeps a record of it so that if you get the disease again, your body knows immediately how to protect itself.

Why are immunizations still needed?

Widely used immunizations are the reason for declining rates of diseases like measles and given their success rate, medical professionals continue to use vaccines to avoid future outbreaks. 

But even though the levels of dangerous diseases like measles have drastically gone down in the United States, these diseases still exist in populations around the world, and without vaccination, you are susceptible to infection. 

Better nutrition, hygiene, and living conditions help lessen the frequency of many diseases, but they don’t completely remove harmful bacteria or viruses that are always present in the environment. 

The only proven way of fighting these diseases, especially for infants, is through immunizations.

What are the different types of immunizations?

There are many different types of immunizations, and each protects against a different disease. Some of the diseases that immunizations protect against are:

• Varicella (Chickenpox)
• Diphtheria
• Influenza
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Human papillomavirus virus (HPV)
• Measles 
• Meningitis
• Mumps
• Polio
• Rubella
• Smallpox
• Tetanus

Other than polio, tetanus, hepatitis A and B, which are spread through bodily fluids, many of the diseases listed above are airborne and can be spread through coughing, sneezing, and even breathing the same air as an infected person. The only effective way to protect yourself and your loved ones is through inoculation.

Advance Medical Group helps you understand which immunizations make sense for you or your child.

Are immunizations safe?

Yes, immunizations are safe for you and for your children. The United States has the safest immunization supplies in history, and this supply is monitored closely by two regulatory boards. 

The Food and Drug Administration does studies on how safe and effective each available vaccine is. They also closely oversee the factories where these drugs are made to make sure that companies stick to the strict manufacturing guidelines that are in place. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the second regulatory body that conducts its own independent research into the safety of vaccines.

If you need to get a vaccination for yourself or your child, or if you have any other questions about immunizations and their safety, call the office or use the online tool and make an appointment at Advance Medical Group.