Most kids don’t look forward to getting vaccinated when they go to the doctor for a checkup, and not all adults are fans, either. But, like it or not, staying up to date on your vaccines is essential, because immunizations play a large part in protecting you and the community against illness.

A typical person in the U.S. will be vaccinated against more than a dozen diseases over the course of their life, and vaccines are critical in limiting the spread and growth of those diseases.

“An immunization stimulates the body to act like it has been exposed to the disease,” said Dr. Kevin Hughes, a primary care physician with LMH Health Primary Care — Baldwin City. “They are trying to present a form of the virus or bacteria, also known as an antigen, so the immune system responds to and creates a memory of it.”

When the antigen enters the bloodstream, the body’s immune system responds by alerting certain types of white blood cells. The white blood cells then make antibodies to attack the antigen, thus training the body on how to fight it off and prevent its spread.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that vaccinated people won’t become infected with the diseases that the vaccine protects against. But it does mean that if you are vaccinated and fall ill, your body will be able to fight off the infection more quickly and with less severe symptoms.

Slowing the spread of diseases is an easy way to protect a community’s health. When a large portion of the community has a strengthened immunity to a disease, either through vaccination or exposure, the disease is more limited in how it can spread. The less a disease is able to spread, the lower its chances are to evolve and become more aggressive.

“There are a lot of benefits to being vaccinated,” Hughes said. “Vaccines are a preventative for disease and the more people who are vaccinated means that less chance people in their community can get it.”

In certain cases, diseases like polio, mumps and measles have been virtually eradicated from the U.S. with the help of vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that due to widespread polio vaccination in the U.S., there hasn’t been a case of wild polio in the country since 1979. Reported cases of the mumps decreased by 99% after the mumps vaccination program began in 1967, and cases of the measles continue to dwindle, with fewer than 200 reported nationwide since the beginning of 2020.

Chickenpox also used to be extremely common in the U.S. until a successful vaccine came along. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, two doses of the chickenpox vaccine are over 90% effective at preventing the disease. Those who do get chickenpox generally report more mild symptoms.

Common vaccinations

It’s important for both kids and adults to be vaccinated against a variety of illnesses. Some of the diseases patients can expect to be vaccinated against at different times in their lives include:

• Diphtheria

• Tetanus

• Polio

• Pneumococcus

• Hepatitis A

• Hepatitis B

• Measles

• Mumps

• Varicella (chickenpox)

• Meningococcus

• HPV

• Influenza

• COVID

• Shingles

Students preparing to enter any public school in Kansas are required to be vaccinated for the following:

• Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP/Tdap): five doses required.

• Hepatitis A (Hep A): two doses required.

• Hepatitis B (Hep B): three doses required.

• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR): two doses required.

• Meningococcal-Serogroup A, C, W, Y (MenACWY): two doses required.

• Poliomyelitis (IPV/tOPV): four doses required.

• Varicella: two doses are required.

Regardless of age, everyone should keep up to date with vaccinations. Some vaccinations are only available to adults. The shingles vaccine, which protects against a strain of the chickenpox virus that lies dormant in the body for decades before its symptoms reappear, is available to patients beginning at age 50. Pneumococcal vaccines are available for patients 65 and older.

“If you’ve missed an immunization, talk to your provider,” Hughes said. “It is better to receive it later than never.”

Additional vaccinations may be required if you plan to travel overseas. When planning a trip outside of the United States, check with the CDC for a list of recommended and required vaccinations for your destination.

“Your primary care provider will be able to provide common routine vaccinations; however, for several of the overseas-specific vaccinations, your health department will be better stocked and equipped to administer those,” Hughes said.

You can receive vaccinations through your primary care provider, public health department and many pharmacies. According to the CDC, all health insurance marketplace plans and most other private insurance plans must cover certain vaccines without charging a copayment or coinsurance when provided by an in-network provider. Check with your insurance provider for the exact list of covered vaccines.

“Most vaccinations can be given anytime once a patient has reached a certain age,” Hughes said. “For vaccinations such as the flu, it is best to get it annually, preferably in early October.”

— Kade Han is the social media and digital content specialist at LMH Health, which is a major sponsor of the Journal-World’s Health section.