Have you gotten your shots yet? If you don’t get vaccinated, you may succumb to various diseases because of lack of immunity.
“Vaccination is for everyone, not just children. It introduces a weakened form of pathogen into the human body to stimulate the production of antibodies. Vaccines are recommended based on age, health and lifestyle,” says Dr. Nicky Montoya, president of MediCard Philippines, a leading HMO provider in the country.
Montoya enumerates some of the most important vaccines to get:
1 Influenza vaccine. Flu shots can be taken by children and adults to fight the infection of influenza, which is a highly contagious viral disease. The vaccination is administered annually. People who have higher risk of flu infection, including kids 6 months through 4 years old and seniors 65 years and older are highly recommended to get flu shots.
2 Pneumococcal vaccine. The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine provides immunity against pneumonia. It is strongly advised for cigarette smokers, seniors and people with history of chronic illness, like liver disease and asthma. It is normally administered once but may be repeated after five years for certain individuals.
3 HPV vaccine. This vaccine protects against the human papilloma virus (HPV), which causes genital warts and cervical cancer. Both men and women aged 11 to 26 are highly recommended to get three doses of HPV vaccine in a span of 6 months.
4 Hepatitis B vaccine. Considered as the primary protection against liver diseases, this vaccine can be administered to newborns within 12 hours of birth, especially if the mother is tested positive for Hepatitis B. The second shot follows 1-2 months later while the last dose is given at 6-18 months after birth.
5Rotavirus vaccine. This vaccine is given orally to babies between 6 and 14 weeks old. It helps prevent infection to rotavirus, which is a common cause of severe diarrhea in children under 5 years old. Rotavirus vaccination is provided for free by the Philippine government since 2012 to curb the high mortality rate of children who die from diarrheal diseases.
6 Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Usually injected in children aged 1 to 2 years old, MMR vaccine is often administered along with varicella vaccine, which protects against chicken pox infection. Advanced healthcare providers also introduce the MMRV vaccine, which combines MMR and varicella vaccines in one.
7 DPT vaccine A vaccine that protects against diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and tetanus infection, DPT is generally given in three to five shots. The first three doses are scheduled at 2, 4 and 6 months after birth. The fourth shot follows after 15 through 18 months while the last dose is administered after 4 through 6 years. A booster shot for tetanus and diphtheria may be started at 11 years old then repeated every 10 years.
“While immunization provides health benefits for a long time, you may suffer short-term side effects after getting vaccine shots, like fever or sore arm. This is a normal immunization reaction as your body develops antibodies to fight the pathogens. To assess your health and determine what types of immunization you should get, it is best to consult your doctor,” Montoya adds.
MediCard (https://www.medicardphils.com) provides free routine immunization to its members as part of its preventive healthcare services.