Imperial Valley Press

Why it’s important to follow an immunizati­on schedule

Doctors are in the business of keeping people healthy, and one of the best ways to do so is to help individual­s avoid illnesses and diseases that can make them sick. Although few people relish the idea of needle jabs, immunizati­ons (vaccines) remain an e–ective way to stay in good health.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says top disease experts work together throughout the year to update the recommende­d immunizati­on schedules for children, adolescent­s and adults. Schedules are approved by the AAP, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health care organizati­ons. Any recommende­d vaccines are based on ongoing reviews of the most recent scientific data for each immunizati­on.

An immunizati­on schedule offers a series of vaccinatio­ns, including the timing of all doses, as recommende­d or required depending on one’s home country. Vaccines go through multiple phases of trials to ensure safety and efficacy. Following an immunizati­on schedule is ideal for optimal health. Here are a few facts to consider, courtesy of HealthyChi­ldren.org, a website managed by the AAP and the CDC.

■ The timing of vaccines is carefully studied and recommende­d to work with the body’s immune system.

■ People with chronic conditions or individual­s on medication­s that weaken the immune system may need a different type of vaccine or a booster. A doctor can discuss the best approach in such situations.

■ Many vaccines are administer­ed in early childhood during infancy. Getting a child vaccinated on time is the best way to protect him or her.

■ There is no research to show that a child would be equally protected against diseases if shots are spread out differentl­y or if a varied schedule is followed. Parents and caregivers often must trust that the profession­als know best with these schedules.

■ If a dose is missed or a child is behind schedule, that does not require starting all over. A doctor can be consulted and the next shot in a series can be scheduled as soon as possible.

■ Adults receive far fewer vaccines than their younger counterpar­ts. According to the CDC’s most recent vaccine schedule, these are some of the shots adults should discuss with their doctors.

- COVID-19 (one or more doses of updated 2023-2024 formula)

- Influenza (one dose annually)

- Respirator­y Syncytial Virus (seasonal administra­tion during pregnancy)

- Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Td or Tdap booster every 10 years, unless pregnant, then one dose Tdap each pregnancy)

- Measles, mumps, rubella (one or two doses depending on indication if born in 1957 or later)

- Varicella (two doses if born in 1980 or later)

- Zoster recombinan­t (two doses at age 50)