Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Have Not Gone Away

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1.

Vaccine-preventable diseases have not gone away

The viruses and bacteria that cause illness and death still

exist and can be passed on to those who are not protected by

vaccines. While many diseases are not common in the US,

global travel makes it easy for diseases to spread.

2. Vaccines will help keep you healthy

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

recommends vaccinations throughout your life to protect

against many infections. When you skip vaccines, you leave

yourself vulnerable to illnesses such as shingles,

pneumococcal disease, flu, and HPV and hepatitis B, both

leading causes of cancer.

3. Vaccines are as important to your overall health as diet and exercise

Like eating healthy foods, exercising, and getting regular

check-ups, vaccines play a vital role in keeping you healthy.

Vaccines are one of the most convenient and safest

preventive care measures available.

4. Vaccination can mean the difference between life and death

Vaccine-preventable infections can be deadly. Every year in

the US, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 50,000

adults died from vaccine-preventable diseases.


5. Vaccines are safe

The US has a robust approval process to ensure that all

licensed vaccines are safe. Potential side effects associated

with vaccines are uncommon and much less severe than the

diseases they prevent.

6. Vaccines will not cause the diseases they are designed to prevent

Vaccines contain either killed or weakened viruses, making it

impossible to get the disease from the vaccine.

7. Young and healthy people can get very sick, too

Infants and older adults are at increased risk for serious

infections and complications, but vaccine-preventable

diseases can strike anyone. If you are young and healthy,

getting vaccinated can help you stay that way.

8. Vaccine-preventable diseases are expensive

Diseases not only have a direct impact on individuals and their

families, but also carry a high price tag for society as a whole,

exceeding $10 billion per year. An average flu illness can last

up to 15 days, typically with five or six missed work or school

days. Adults who get hepatitis A lose an average of one month

of work.

9. When you get sick, your children, grandchildren, and parents may be

at risk, too
Adults are the most common source of pertussis (whooping

cough) infection in infants which can be deadly for babies.

When you get vaccinated, you are protecting yourself and your

family as well as those in your community who may not be

able to be vaccinated.  

10. Your family and co-workers need you

In the US each year, millions of adults get sick from vaccine-

preventable diseases, causing them to miss work and leaving

them unable to care for those who depend on them, including

their children and/or aging parents.

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