Vaccines are a simple and safe way to stay healthy. Sometimes called the greatest invention of the 20th century, vaccines have virtually erased outbreaks of diseases such as measles, mumps and polio. However not everyone takes advantage of the healthy protections vaccines can offer. For instance, flu vaccines are readily available each year, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are between 140,000 and 810,000 hospitalizations due to influenza annually in the United States and as many as 12,000 to 61,000 deaths. 


Adult vaccinations are recommended for the following diseases:
 

• Chicken pox
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• HPV (human papillomavirus)
• Influenza (flu)

• MMR (measles, mumps and rubella)
• Meningococcal disease
• Pneumococcal disease (pneumonia)
• Shingles
• Tetanus
• Whooping cough (pertussis)

According to the National Foundation for Infectious Disease, vaccines are safe, and you cannot catch a disease from a vaccination.

Talk to your doctor to find out which vaccinations you need to keep you and your loved ones healthy. Even if you’ve been vaccinated in the past, it may be time for a booster shot.

What else can you do to help stay healthy?
Get a flu shot every September, before flu season starts. Protect yourself by staying away from people who are sick, keeping your hands away from your face, and washing your hands well and often with soap and water.