During the last four years you’ve probably heard more about vaccines than you ever thought possible. But did you know that the rate of routine immunization dropped during that time and still hasn’t recovered?
Now is a good time to double-check that you (and your family) are on track with your routine vaccinations. Not only does staying up to date help protect you from serious illness, but it also helps protect others around you.
Here are some ways to find out if you need to catch up on routine vaccinations:
Check the schedules: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publish recommended immunization schedules for adults and children. If you have questions about the schedule please ask your care team what’s best for you or your family.
Check your records: Take a look at your immunization records to see if your last vaccines align with CDC recommendations. There are a number of ways you can check your records including:
- Sign up for MyIRMobile.com
- Pull the record from your Valley View patient portal
- Request a Complete Immunization Record from your care team or Local Retail Pharmacy
- Request a Complete Immunization Record from your Child’s School
- Request a Complete Immunization Record from the Department of Health
Check for updated guidance: Vaccine recommendations change over time. For example, when the HPV vaccine was first introduced, it wasn’t recommended for anyone older than 26. Today, though, you can get the vaccine as long as you’re 45 or younger.
Keep up with preventive care: Make a preventive care appointment every year. In addition to checking on your overall health, your provider and care team can take the opportunity to make sure you’re current on routine immunizations.
Remember: With vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases, immunization prevents 3.5 million to 5 million deaths every year. Vaccines are a safe and effective way to protect yourself and others from serious illness, so be sure to stay on track!