Though June is technically the start of summer, the season kicks of for most people sometime in May. With students of all ages on break from school until the fall, plenty of people will be traveling for vacations and other trips. If you and your family are heading out of town this summer, you may be focused entirely on picking the right destination. However, as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pointed out, it's important to prepare for summer fun by getting vaccinated. Here's everything you need to know to have the safest and most fun summer possible:
"Summer means an added risk of certain diseases."
1. Why get vaccinated in summertime?
As the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services explained, summertime vaccinations address a number of season-specific ailments. With so many people heading outdoors, the risk of diseases like chickenpox increases greatly in many parts of the country. People are also more active in the summer, and that means a higher chance of tetanus from any number of outdoor activities. However, as the Fauquier Times noted, there are other benefits to summertime vaccinations. Namely, this gives parents and students a jump on vaccinations required for the start of the next school year. Depending on the school district, not having the right vaccinations for fall can delay a student's enrollment.
2. What vaccines are needed in summer?
Depending on where you live, your doctor or healthcare provider may have different suggestions. However, the Department of Health and Human Services explained that there are a handful of vaccines that everyone should get: mumps and measles, tetanus, whooping cough, Hepatitis A and chicken pox. Of course, this list always changes, and in recent years there have been several additions. As ABC News reported, since 2005, the CDC recommended meningococcal vaccines for all children ages 11 to 12. There may also be more specific considerations. For instance, in summer 2014 there was an uptick of flu cases, as KNOM radio reported. As such, more people were vaccinated across the state.
3. Who needs to get vaccinated?
When it comes to summer preparedness, the Department of Health and Human Services makes one thing very clear: everyone needs to get immunized. However, there are a few age-specific considerations to keep in mind.From birth to age 18, there are a number of shots tied to specific birthdays. For instance, most children won't need doses for meingococcal disease until they're at least nine months of age. And if your child is behind on any shots, it's important to follow a catch-up schedule outlined by HHS. Adults ages 19 to 24 don't need as many shots, but they should make sure they're always up to date on meningitis, HPV and seasonal flu. In fact, there are several ailments, like MMR, varicella-zoster and Hepatitis A, that require doses into a person's late 60s.
If you or anyone in your family needs vaccinations, be sure to head to your local CareWell Urgent Care Center. With teams of highly trained doctors at each facility, CareWell is your go-to source for vaccines , this summer and beyond.
