Tag Archives: vaccine

The Bad News about the Shingles Vaccine

I know I am getting old now because I am starting to worry about shingles, the painful rash and blister disease that is a reactivation of chickenpox. If you never get chickenpox, you will never have shingles, but I did and now I am concerned. Years ago, I thought shingles was something old people got. But, now that I am narrowing in on 50, it seems all too real a possibility. I was glad to hear there is a vaccine now to help prevent you from getting shingles. But, there is bad news too. While the vaccine Zostavax has reduced … Continue reading →

Vaccine Fact and Fiction

Feeling hesitant about your own (or your child’s) vaccinations? Only one of the following three popular beliefs about vaccinations is true. Mercury in vaccines can accumulate in the body. The flu vaccine can actually cause the flu. People can have allergic reactions to vaccines. Do you know which one is true? It’s the third one — allergic reactions. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, out of one million vaccines given, only ONE vaccine will cause a severe allergic reaction or death. Mild allergic reactions are slightly more common. If you do experience a reaction to a vaccine, a … Continue reading →

Vaccines That Grown-Ups May Miss

Immunization isn’t just for childhood. In fact, immunization experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control say that some childhood vaccines may not last a lifetime. Here are a few vaccinations that may need a booster. Tetanus — you should be getting a tetanus booster every year. Now you also have the option of extra protection in the form of the Tdap booster, which also includes protection against whooping cough and diphtheria. Pertussis (whooping cough) has been making a comeback over the last twenty years — more than twenty-five thousand cases were reported in the U.S. in 2005. CDC experts … Continue reading →