Vaccinations & Immunizations

Vaccinations & Immunizations

Getting vaccinated can be the first step to ensuring you and your family stay healthy, not only during flu season, but all year long. Vaccines are often associated with seniors and young children, but the reality is that almost everyone can benefit from obtaining appropriate vaccinations throughout their life.

If you can prevent an illness with a vaccine, why risk getting sick in the first place? Keeping up with your vaccinations can significantly decrease the amount of time you and your family spend in bed or out of work in the future. Our experienced medical staff is always ready to help you stay up to date with your immunizations.

The first thing you should know about vaccines is that they are proven to be safe and effective. The most common side effect of receiving a vaccine shot is swelling or redness at the injection site. Vaccines work by giving you a harmless or weakened version of a specific pathogen, which stimulates your immune system to generate antibodies. This means if you ever encounter the same disease at full strength, your immune system will remember, and be able to fight it off. The benefits of keeping up with the appropriate vaccinations far outweigh the small chance of an adverse reaction.

When most people think of vaccines, they think of immunizations required for school age children. These typically include vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), chicken pox, hepatitis B, and polio, among others. All of these illnesses can be life threatening if contracted, and making sure your child is properly vaccinated can ensure their health and safety for the rest of their life. Making an appointment at a True Health Walk In Clinic before school starts can ensure your child is up to date and ready to start classes.

There are certain individuals who cannot receive vaccines for medical reasons. Because of this, it is even more important for those who are able to keep up to date with their vaccines. This creates a “herd immunity,” which helps protect those in the community who may be at the highest risk of contracting life-threatening diseases. Those at risk include very young children and seniors, as well as those with weakened immune systems and certain diseases such as cancer and type 1 diabetes. When you get vaccinated at True Health Primary Care, it not only protects you and your family, but it can help keep your entire community healthy as well.

If you are planning to travel outside of the United States, it’s important for you to review the required and recommended vaccinations for visiting certain countries. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website can tell you which vaccines you need before you travel. If this is your situation, it would be best to make an appointment at True Health Primary Care several weeks before your departure.

True Health Primary Care Walk In is available for all of your vaccination and immunization needs, whether your child needs their vaccinations before the start of school, or you are in need of updating your own inoculations. Walk in or schedule an appointment today.