A few years ago, my physician told me it was time.  Time to put away childish notions.  Time to get new vaccinations.

What?   I was vaccinated for a slew of diseases- or I got them (some of them thrice)- when I was younger.  He immediately countered with just that response- it’s clear that my immunity development is not what it should be.  But, more importantly, there are vaccinations for diseases now that didn’t exist before- and I could benefit.

So, I got two of them right away.  One for pneumonia and the other for shingles.  Shingles because if you had chicken pox, the odds are pretty good you can develop shingles.   And, I got the chicken pox at least three times.  (Yes, really.)   That puts me in the barely 25% of adults who have been so vaccinated.

And, for the first time in many years, I haven’t had my semi-annual bouts of pneumonia.  (Yes, the vaccine clearly works.)   Yet, only some 20% of adults have had the two pneumococcal vaccines.

But, I also got vaccinated for whooping cough.  Not because my doctor was worried about me getting it.  No, he was worried I could have passed it on to my newly born grandson.  I could be a carrier- and my grandson was way too young (the first time I saw him was when he was 8 days old for his naming and brit mila) to be so vaccinated.  And, I would be protecting him from any transmission from me.

(By the way, my doctor did not administer these vaccinations.  Due to the vagaries of our health care system, it made more sense for me to go to the CVS Minute Clinic and get my shots.  They cost me $ 15 – cheaper than they used to be, too.  My doctor doesn’t really stock these vaccines, since so few adults actually get them.)

And, don’t get me started about flu shots.  Oh, sure, you’ll counter that they missed the boat this past season by guessing badly with the right virus.  But, that wrong variant drug still helped- and this was the first time they missed the boat anyway.   Because the severity of symptoms were still alleviated.  Yet, not even half of the target population (adults over 50) have bothered to get these shots.  Even though they, like infants and those with compromised respiratory systems, are the ones most likely to succumb (as in DIE) if they contract the flu.

Let’s not forget tetanus (which is covered by the Tdap vaccine) – for which the vaccination only lasts between 5 and 8 years.  (Given the number of accidents I have, this is one I generally don’t need to take prophylactically- since I get one [after stepping on a nail, getting cut by a rusty bar, etc.) every two or three years.)   Yet, about 1/5 of adults get this vaccine as needed.

It’ll take a few minutes and save you plenty down the road.  Get your shots.

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