Maryland's Health Matters - Midtown - Winter 2018 - 3

A HEALTHY START

Immunizations:
They're Not
Just for Kids
and the one question on every

CATCHING UP
ON CHILDHOOD
VACCINES

kid's mind-"Will I have to get

If you did not get the full

shots this time?" Vaccinations

series of recommended vac-

are safe and help to prevent

cines when you were a child,

a range of horrible diseases,

the Centers for Disease Con-

including whooping cough,

trol and Prevention recom-

measles and polio. But vac-

mends the following vaccines

cines aren't just for children.

for adults. Your primary care

It's a childhood ritual: The
annual visit to the pediatrician,

Vaccines work by intro-

doctor can help you find

ducing a harmless version of

out whether you had these

a virus into your body. While

vaccines as a child.

the form of the virus inside
the vaccine can't make you
sick, its presence prompts
your body's immune system
to create antibodies that
match the virus. For example,
after you get a measles vac-

Measles, mumps
and rubella (MMR) vaccine

Hepatitis B

Because the virus mutates
each season, adults should
get the flu vaccine every year.

Td/Tdap vaccine

"Td" stands for tetanus and
diphtheria. Adults should get
a booster vaccine every 10
years. "Tdap" stands for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis
(whooping cough). Women
who are pregnant should get
a Tdap booster during every
pregnancy, and all adults
should get one Tdap booster.

Shingles vaccine

Adults ages 60 and older
should get this vaccine, even
if they have already had
shingles.

Human
papillomavirus
(HPV) vaccine

Women younger than 26 and
men younger than 21 should
get this vaccine.

If you have certain health

to defend itself if you come

a weakened immune system

into contact with the measles

or heart disease, or if you

virus. This means that you

are pregnant, your doctor

have developed an "immu-

will have specialized recom-

nity" to the measles virus.

mendations about which

last forever. The immunity

Flu vaccine

Hepatitis A

conditions, such as diabetes,

that vaccinations don't

Your primary care doctor can help you determine
which immunizations need an update. To get you
started, here is a list of vaccines that the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for
adults. Your doctor can tell you if you should avoid
any of these vaccines:

Chickenpox

cine, your body will be ready

Many adults don't realize

THE VACCINES ADULTS NEED

vaccines you need and which
you should avoid.
Talk with your doctor to

you developed when you

make sure you stay protected.

received your childhood vac-

You may feel "a little pinch,"

cines has an expiration date.

as your pediatrician used to

How long your immunizations

say, but your health will thank

will protect you depends

you for it. 

on what type of vaccine
you received, what virus it is
immunizing you against, and
how old you were when you
received the vaccine.

FIND A DOCTOR
To find a great primary care doctor at University of Maryland Community Medical Group
at Heritage Crossing, call 410-244-7026 or visit umm.edu/midtown/healthy.

umm.edu/midtown | Winter 2018

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maryland's Health Matters - Midtown - Winter 2018
