One of the most important steps in disease prevention is immunization. Getting vaccinated protects you and those around you from potentially life-threatening diseases. Here at The Drug Store, we want to help you achieve the best health possible. That’s why we’ve put together this list to show the importance of immunizations so you can make an informed decision about your health and the health of your family.
1. Immunizations Can Save Your Life
The most important thing to know about immunizations is that they can save lives. Because of medical advances, there are immunizations to protect against more diseases now than ever before. Diseases that used to hurt and even kill thousands of people can now be prevented using vaccines. These vaccines can protect you and your children from potentially life-threatening diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, influenza, varicella, COVID-19, measles, malaria, hepatitis, and more. These immunizations teach your immune system how to fight off the disease-causing germs, which helps protect you from catching the disease and feeling sick.
2. Vaccines are Safe and Effective
A lot of medical research goes into each vaccine to make sure it is safe for patients. Only after careful review is each vaccine approved to be administered to patients. Most vaccines are safe for both children and adults. While you may experience some discomfort, redness, or tenderness at the injection site when you receive an immunization shot, it is very rare for people to develop serious side effects. The discomfort of receiving a vaccine is far less than the trauma that can be caused by the disease that it’s preventing. For most people, the benefits of preventing serious diseases are much greater than the possible side effects of vaccines.
3. Immunizations Help Protect Others
The importance of immunizations extends beyond just personal protection. It’s important to get yourself and your children vaccinated against serious diseases to help prevent the spread of diseases to others. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of measles and whooping cough, both of which are vaccine-preventable diseases. If you catch a disease, you risk transmitting it to those you come into contact with, including your friends and loved ones. Some people aren’t able to fight off diseases as well as you may be able to, so they may be more at risk of developing serious complications. To help keep others safe, it’s important for those who are able to get vaccinated to become fully immunized to prevent the spread of harmful diseases.
4. Immunizations Help Protect Future Generations
Over the course of history, diseases that were once fatal to large populations have over time been eradicated by vaccines. Just a few generations ago, smallpox was a deadly disease that killed and severely disabled many people. Then, a smallpox vaccine was created and widely distributed. After a few generations received the vaccine, the disease was completely eradicated, and now children no longer need to get smallpox shots because the disease no longer exists. If we want to continue eliminating life-threatening diseases, we need to continue vaccinating completely so that future generations can be out of harm’s way.
5. Getting Vaccinated Can Save You Time and Money
An unexpected benefit of immunizations is that they can save you both time and money. If you or your child contracts a vaccine-preventable disease, your work or their school may deny attendance. Some of these diseases can also cause prolonged disabilities, and the long-term care and medical bills can take a financial toll. However, vaccines are usually covered by insurance, so getting vaccinated will cost you little to nothing. There’s even a federally funded program called Vaccines for Children that provides vaccines to children from low-income families at no cost. Getting yourself or your children vaccinated won’t cost you much, and it can save you a lot of money and time in the future.
Ask Our Expert Pharmacists About Getting the Vaccines and Immunizations You Need
Now you know the importance of immunizations. If you have further questions about getting vaccinated, feel free to reach out to our expert pharmacists at one of our The Drug Store locations. They will be happy to answer your questions and can even provide the vaccines and immunizations you need right here in the pharmacy! We look forward to helping your family achieve the best health possible!
