HHS HealthBeat (March 6, 2012)

Big shots

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Everyone knows about vaccines for children.  But grown-ups need vaccines, too.  At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Carolyn Bridges says vaccinating grown-ups can help adults stay healthy and keep them from infecting others:

“Vaccinating adults can prevent diseases – not only in the adults, but also in people too young to be vaccinated who are near them.  In addition, some vaccines can help prevent hospitalization, death, and even lost work.” (12 seconds)

Some examples: Adults should get the Tdap vaccine to protect themselves and babies against whooping cough.  All adults should get a yearly flu vaccine. And adults 60 and older should get the zoster vaccination to avoid shingles.

An article on vaccines for adults is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: March 6, 2012