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It’s National Immunization Awareness Month!

National Immunization Awareness Month - Learn more in our blog.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) and between ongoing health concerns with COVID and upcoming flu season, it’s never been more relevant to talk about vaccines. We encourage you to act this month and talk to a healthcare professional about vaccinations. You have the power to help protect yourself and others against vaccine-preventable diseases.

It’s August, and we all know what that means; it’s time to get back to school. Our kids or family return to class and then home, bringing new germ discoveries from the day. It’s no coincidence that August is also National Immunization Awareness Month; it is the perfect reminder that as a new school year begins, so does exposure to potential health risks. If you’re unsure where to begin, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) offers a list that includes information on vaccine recommendations organized by stages of life.

Paper family holding hands next to a vaccination syringe.

Vaccines in Children – Don’t Wait for the Problem, Get Ahead of It

 When it comes to getting vaccinated, most patients and parents turn to their doctors and healthcare professionals for guidance. After everything that followed in COVID-19’s wake, many other health concerns slipped through the cracks. For example, COVID-19 anxiety or illness prevented many children from receiving HPV vaccinations. You may ask, why is this relevant when discussing vaccinations in children? The HPV vaccine is most effective between the ages of 9 and 14, as young people produce more antibodies than those late into their teens, which is why children under 14 only require two doses instead of the three given to those 15 and older.

Doctor vaccinating a young child.

Get on Track – Routine Vaccines Have Your Back

Let’s get to talking on vaccines. We must aim to be preventative rather than just reactive when it comes to children. Children who remain unvaccinated from COVID-19 can get extremely ill, have both short- and long-term health problems, and contaminate others if they contract COVID-19. A weakened immune system is also susceptible to attack, so those struggling with pre-existing health concerns such as asthma or diabetes can find their conditions growing more severe. Children unvaccinated from HPV could face serious health risks associated with HPV, such as precancerous cells. Yet, since the introduction of the HPV Vaccine in 2006, the percentage of cervical pre-cancers that occurred because of HPV in women has dropped by 40%. Why take the risk when you can avoid it instead.

Cartoon vaccination form. (1)

Say hello to vaccinations and goodbye to risks! Here at Advanced Research for Health Improvement, we are enrolling applicants for a study on HPV and COVID-19 vaccines. If you are interested in learning more, follow this link for more details!

If you want to be the first to know how you or a loved one can improve your health, remain updated on our website. Don’t hesitate to contact us at 239-230-2021 if you have any questions.

Resources:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niam/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccine-for-hpv.html

https://www.nfid.org/2020/08/01/whydoyougetvaccinated/