Vaccinations

Vaccinations Articles

Bracing for flu season: Steps to protect yourself right now

Flu shots are not guaranteed to keep someone from getting influenza. Sometimes the shot is not a good match for the viruses that cause epidemics. Still, older adults should get the trivalent or quadrivalent flu shot, especially people who have diabetes or heart, lung, or kidney disease, or who take medication that suppresses the immune system. Other anti-flu precautions include washing hands often (with soap and warm water or hand sanitizer if soap is unavailable), and covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. (Locked) More »

Baby boomers: Don’t forget hepatitis C screenings

Despite a 2012 recommendation that all baby boomers get tested for hepatitis C, an analysis of government health surveys suggests that only about 13% of baby boomers had been tested for hepatitis C by 2015, up just one percentage point from 2013. More »

Can the flu increase my heart attack risk?

A new study found that a person’s risk of heart attack is six times more likely to occur within the week following an influenza diagnosis. However, getting a flu vaccination can reduce the risk of illness and death from heart disease. (Locked) More »

What’s new with the shingles vaccine

Shingrix, a new vaccine to protect against the shingles virus, reduces the risk of shingles by an average of 97% among adults ages 50 and older. This is almost double the protection of the previous shingles vaccine, Zostavax, which reduces the risk of shingles by an average of 51%, but becomes less effective as people age. (Locked) More »

New thinking on shingles prevention

The FDA approved Shingrix in October 2017 to prevent shingles. That same month, the vaccine won a CDC advisory panel’s recommendation over Zostavax, the vaccine that’s been in use for more than a decade. More »

Do I need a shingles vaccine booster?

The shingles vaccine becomes less effective over time, but currently there is no approved booster shot available. To ensure protection at the time of greatest risk, people should get the vaccine at age 60 or older. (Locked) More »