Every year, tens of thousands of adults in the United States suffer serious health problems, are hospitalized, or even die from diseases that could have been prevented by vaccination.
To celebrate the importance of immunizations throughout life - and to help remind adults that they need vaccines, too - the Cleveland County Public Health Center is recognizing August as National Immunization Awareness Month. This is the perfect opportunity to make sure adults are protected against diseases like flu, whooping cough, tetanus, shingles and pneumococcal disease.
The specific vaccines adults need are determined by factors such as age, lifestyle, risk conditions, locations of travel, and previous vaccines. All adults should talk to their health care professionals to make sure they are up-to-date on vaccines recommended for them.
There is a misconception among many adults that vaccines are just for children. The truth is, you never outgrow the need for immunizations.
To find out which vaccines you need and where you can get vaccinated, visit
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/index.html or www.clevelandcounty.com/cchd or call the Cleveland County Public Health Center's Immunization Clinic at 980-484-5001.
Submitted by DeShay Oliver