Vaccines are one of the best ways to reduce your risk of illness and the spread of disease. Serious research has gone into making vaccines that are safe, efficient and effective for all ages.
Who Needs Vaccines?
Adults and children need vaccines to reduce health risks. The types needed may depend on your age, health history or where you work and travel. From birth, timely vaccination helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases.
How Can Vaccines Help Me?
- Be less likely to pass on infections to your close contacts
- Not miss work or school because of sick time
- Prevent serious complications and even death from certain infections
- Reduce your risk of getting sick when traveling
- Save money on medical costs from illness
- Spend more time enjoying life
- Stay healthy and active
- Take care of your family
- Worry less about your risk for infections
How Do Vaccines Work?
Vaccines tell your own immune system how to prevent certain kinds of diseases. A vaccine uses a tiny amount of substance that lets your body build up antibodies and other defenses to a virus or bacteria. This helps to prevent or lessen the severity of many types of diseases caused by infection.
A vaccine is most often done with an injection by a small needle into your arm. Some vaccines work in one shot. Others need to be done in two or more shots over a period of time.
What Vaccines Do I Need?
There are various vaccines that help protect adults from serious diseases. These include vaccines to prevent shingles, HPV, meningitis and pneumonia. Other vaccines are important for everyone. These include vaccines for tetanus, the flu and COVID-19.
It’s Not Too Late
If you’re worried that you have missed some vaccines, it’s not too late. Your primary care provider can make sure you easily get up to date on the shots that are right for you.
About Dr. Rodolfo Fernandez
Rodolfo Fernandez, MD, is an internal medicine physician serving the Lake Wales community with whole-person care for ages 18 and up.
Schedule an appointment today at CentralFloridaPrimaryCare.com or call 407-599-6111.