The Importance of Catch-Up Vaccinations โfor Adults and Adolescents
Many people assume vaccinations are a childhood concern,โค but public health experts emphasize the critical roleโ they play in protecting adults and adolescents, โคparticularly those with pre-existingโฃ chronic conditions. Beyond preventing serious illness, vaccines canโ also mitigate the worsening โคor recurrence of existing health issues.
โ โRespiratory Viral Infections: flu, Coronavirus, RSV
Dr. Tina Tan,past president of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA),stresses the importance of flu vaccination for individuals managing chronic medical conditions. Contracting the flu can exacerbate these conditions and lead to further complications. Aโข 2020 study confirmed higherโ rates of severeโ flu infections among adults โwith congestive heart failure,โฃ coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diabetes, and kidney disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination for โคeveryone aged 6 months โand older. โฃ Experts alsoโ advise thoseโข with chronic conditions to receive both the coronavirus and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus)โ vaccines. โคResearch, including a UK study of 46 million adults, has shown a correlation between coronavirus vaccination and a reduced โขrisk of heart attacks and strokes. While the coronavirus vaccine carries aโค small โrisk of myocarditis and pericarditis (heart muscle and lining inflammation), these cases are typically mild, and the benefits of vaccination generally outweigh the risks, especially for those vulnerable to severe โขinfection. Coronavirus vaccines are available to all โคages, butโค the CDC recommends consulting a healthcare provider beforehand. โ RSV vaccination is recommended for infants, pregnant women (to protect their babies), adults aged 50-74 with chronic conditions, โขand all adults 75 and older.
โ โขBacterial Infections: Meningitis โคand Pneumonia
Bacterial โinfections likeโ meningitis and pneumonia pose significant threats, potentially leading to chronic disability or evenโข death. Meningitis complications can be severe, resulting in hearing loss, vision problems, memory loss, learning difficulties, brain damage, seizures,โ and kidney failureโ if left untreated. Pneumonia can worsen existing heart and bloodโข vessel disease and cause โlong-term effects โฃlike depression, as โwell as potential damage to theโค kidneys, liver, and heartโ due to oxygen deprivation or an adverse immune response. โ
Both meningitis and pneumonia can escalate to โsepsis, a life-threatening condition. while prompt treatment can lead to full recoveryโฃ for some sepsis patients, others experience lasting effects such as insomnia, nightmares, panic attacks, joint andโข muscle pain, cognitive decline, and organ failure.
fortunately,vaccines offer protection. the CDC recommends the meningococcal โvaccine for โall children before puberty, as well as adolescentsโ and high-riskโฃ adults. The pneumococcal vaccine is advised for children under 5โ and adults over 50 to prevent pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine also provides protection against meningitis โand pneumonia.
Dr.Hopkins highlights the broader impact of vaccination, stating, “The vaccine provides important protectionโข for โthose who have been vaccinated, and may also help protectโข some communityโฃ members who have not yet been vaccinated.” โHe further notes that a lack of direct experience with the โฃdevastating effects โฃof vaccine-preventable diseases can lead โคto an underestimation โof the risksโ associated โwithโค remainingโ unvaccinated.
(By Allysonโค Chiu)
