August is National Immunization Awareness Month

According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many adults are missing out on important vaccines as they age.

Dr. Michael Roizen, a wellness expert at Cleveland Clinic, said it’s vital for all adults to stay up to date on their vaccines to protect themselves against preventable diseases, beginning with an annual flu shot.

“Right now, you need one every year,” Roizen said. “By getting a flu shot you decrease your need for hospitalizations from all causes by 50 percent; you decrease your risk of heart attacks, over a 10-year period, by 25 percent. These are huge changes, just by getting a little prick.”

Roizen said another important vaccine, for folks over the age of 60, is the shingles vaccine.

A recent study shows that contracting shingles can increase a person’s risk of heart attack and stroke during the period immediately following the virus.

Researchers said that the increased risk is a result of excess inflammation that causes plaque to break off, leading to the obstructed blood flow that can cause a heart attack or stroke. The risk is the same for everyone who has had shingles, regardless of age.

Other important vaccines for adults include TDap, hepatitis A and B, meningitis, MMR (measles, mumps and rubella), tetanus and pneumonia, which are given at different times throughout adulthood based on a person’s age.

Roizen said research has shown that vaccines can significantly reduce a person’s risk for hospitalization and complications from preventable illnesses.

He said the best way that we can protect ourselves from preventable disease is to visit the doctor regularly and get vaccinated when appropriate.

“Get vaccinated! So whether it is shingles routinely at 60, or getting another TDap, or getting your immunizations for flu and for pneumonia regularly. You should do it,” Roizen said.