Protect Yourself – Are You Immunized Against Disease?

Last year in the United States, over 50,000 adults died from diseases that might have been prevented through simple vaccinations. While immunization has had a dramatic effect in decreasing childhood disease, adults remain seriously under immunized. Each year, 99% of all vaccine-preventable deaths occur in adults with over 200,000 hospitalizations for serious complications. Deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases in adults outnumber those from breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, and motor-vehicle accidents. These are BIG numbers!

Older people are especially vulnerable to diseases such as the flu, pneumonia, shingles, and whooping cough. Please talk to your health care provider about getting the immunizations that are right for you. For more information on vaccines, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/index.html.

And remember, flu season is coming!