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Please come to your vaccination appointment with: -Photo ID, -insurance card (if applicable), and -Red White & Blue Medicare card (if applicable) to your appointment. What is the Flu? The flu (influenza) is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands to tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year. An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu. Vaccination has been shown to have many benefits including reducing the risk of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and even the risk of flu-related death in children. Can I get COVID-19 from the Flu Vaccine? There is no evidence that getting a flu vaccine increases your risk of getting sick from a coronavirus, like the one that causes COVID-19. When should I get vaccinated? You should get a flu vaccine before flu viruses begin spreading in your community, since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against flu. Make plans to get vaccinated early in fall, before flu season begins. CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October. However, getting vaccinated early (for example, in July or August) is likely to be associated with reduced protection against flu infection later in the flu season, particularly among older adults. Vaccination should continue to be offered throughout the flu season, even into January or later. Children who need two doses of vaccine to be protected should start the vaccination process sooner, because the two doses must be given at least four weeks apart. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2022-2023.htm

Please come to your vaccination appointment with: -Photo ID, -insurance card (if applicable), and -Red White & Blue Medicare card (if applicable) to your appointment. Vaccines are available that can help prevent tetanus, an infection caused by Clostridium tetani bacteria. Four kinds of vaccines used today protect against tetanus, all of which also protect against other diseases: Diphtheria and tetanus (DT) vaccines Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) vaccines Tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccines Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccines Babies and children younger than 7 years old receive DTaP or DT, while older children and adults receive Tdap and Td. CDC recommends tetanus vaccination for all babies and children, preteens and teens, and adults. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/tetanus/index.html

Please come to your vaccination appointment with: -Photo ID, -insurance card (if applicable), and -Red White & Blue Medicare card (if applicable) to your appointment. What is Hepatitis A? Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease. It is usually spread through close personal contact with an infected person or when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food, or drinks that are contaminated by small amounts of stool (poop) from an infected person. Most adults with hepatitis A have symptoms, including fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice (yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, light colored bowel movements). Most children less than 6 years of age do not have symptoms. A person infected with hepatitis A can transmit the disease to other people even if he or she does not have any symptoms of the disease. Most people who get hepatitis A feel sick for several weeks, but they usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. In rare cases, hepatitis A can cause liver failure and death; this is more common in people older than 50 and in people with other liver diseases. Hepatitis A vaccine has made this disease much less common in the United States. However, outbreaks of hepatitis A among unvaccinated people still happen. Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for the following people: All children aged 12–23 months need 2 doses of hepatitis A vaccine: First dose: 12 through 23 months of age Second dose: at least 6 months after the first dose Older children and adolescents 2 through 18 years of age who were not vaccinated previously should be vaccinated. Adults who were not vaccinated previously and want to be protected against hepatitis A can also get the vaccine. International travelers Men who have sex with men People who use injection or non-injection drugs People who have occupational risk for infection People who anticipate close contact with an international adoptee People experiencing homelessness People with HIV People with chronic liver disease Any person wishing to obtain immunity (protection) In addition, a person who has not previously received hepatitis A vaccine and who has direct contact with someone with hepatitis A should get hepatitis A vaccine within 2 weeks after exposure. Hepatitis A vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/hep-a.html

Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) provides information and skills for people to manage their diabetes and related conditions. DSMES is tailored to your individual needs, goals, and life experiences and is guided by evidence-based standards. You’ll learn how to eat healthy, be physically active, monitor blood sugar levels, take medication, problem solve, reduce risk for other health conditions, cope with the emotional side of diabetes, and improve your health and quality of life. It’s important to receive DSMES services when you’re first diagnosed. There are three other times DSMES can help you manage your diabetes that include at your yearly follow-up visits with your doctor, if health complications arise, and when changes in your care occur. Topics include: Understanding diabetes and diabetes treatment. Healthy eating. Being physically active. Taking medicine. Checking your blood sugar. Reducing your risk for other health problems. Learning to cope with stress, depression, and other concerns. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/learnmorefeelbetter/programs/diabetes.htm

Please come to your vaccination appointment with: -Photo ID, -insurance card (if applicable), and -Red White & Blue Medicare card (if applicable) to your appointment. Shingles vaccination is the only way to protect against shingles and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the most common complication from shingles. CDC recommends that healthy adults 50 years and older get two doses of the shingles vaccine called Shingrix (recombinant zoster vaccine), separated by 2 to 6 months, to prevent shingles and the complications from the disease. Your doctor or pharmacist can give you Shingrix as a shot in your upper arm. Shingrix provides strong protection against shingles and PHN. Two doses of Shingrix is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and PHN. Protection stays above 85% for at least the first four years after you get vaccinated. Who Should Get Shingrix? Healthy adults 50 years and older should get two doses of Shingrix, separated by 2 to 6 months. You should get Shingrix even if in the past you had shingles, received Zostavax*, or are not sure if you had chickenpox. There is no maximum age for getting Shingrix. If you had shingles in the past, you can get Shingrix to help prevent future occurrences of the disease. There is no specific length of time that you need to wait after having shingles before you can receive Shingrix, but generally you should make sure the shingles rash has gone away before getting vaccinated. You can get Shingrix whether or not you remember having had chickenpox in the past. Studies show that more than 99% of Americans 40 years and older have had chickenpox, even if they don’t remember having the disease. Chickenpox and shingles are related because they are caused by the same virus (varicella zoster virus). After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant (inactive) in the body. It can reactivate years later and cause shingles. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html

Please come to your vaccination appointment with: -Photo ID, -insurance card (if applicable), and -Red White & Blue Medicare card (if applicable) to your appointment. Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) is the only polio vaccine that has been given in the United States since 2000. It is given by shot in the arm or leg, depending on the person’s age. Oral polio vaccine (OPV) is used in other countries. CDC recommends that children get four doses of polio vaccine. They should get one dose at each of the following ages: 2 months old 4 months old 6 through 18 months old 4 through 6 years old Almost all children (99 out of 100) who get all the recommended doses of polio vaccine will be protected from polio. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/polio/index.html

Please come to your vaccination appointment with: -Photo ID, -insurance card (if applicable), and -Red White & Blue Medicare card (if applicable) to your appointment. What are Meningococcal Diseases? Meningococcal disease refers to any illness caused by bacteria called Neisseria meningitidis, also known as meningococcus [muh-ning-goh-KOK-us]. These illnesses are often severe and can be deadly. They include infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream infections (bacteremia or septicemia). How do Meningococcal Diseases Spread? These bacteria spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions like spit (e.g., by living in close quarters, kissing). Doctors treat meningococcal disease with antibiotics, but quick medical attention is extremely important. Keeping up to date with recommended vaccines is the best defense against meningococcal disease. Who Should get Vaccinated? All 11 to 12 year old's should get a meningococcal conjugate vaccine, with a booster dose at 16 years old. Teens and young adults (16 through 23 year old's) also may get a serogroup B meningococcal vaccine. CDC also recommends meningococcal vaccination for other children and adults who are at increased risk for meningococcal disease. Sources: https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mening/index.html

Please come to your vaccination appointment with: -Photo ID, -insurance card (if applicable), and -Red White & Blue Medicare card (if applicable) to your appointment. What is Measles? Measles is a very contagious disease caused by a virus. It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles starts with a cough, runny nose, red eyes, and fever. Then a rash of tiny, red spots breaks out. It starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body. Can Measles be prevented? When Should People be Vaccinated? Measles can be prevented with MMR vaccine. The vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. CDC recommends children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Teens and adults should also be up to date on their MMR vaccination. The MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective. Children may also get MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). This vaccine is only licensed for use in children who are 12 months through 12 years of age. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/measles/index.html

Please come to your vaccination appointment with: -Photo ID, -insurance card (if applicable), and -Red White & Blue Medicare card (if applicable) to your appointment. HPV vaccination is very safe. Over 15 years of monitoring have shown that HPV vaccines are very safe and effective. Like all vaccines, scientists continue to monitor HPV vaccines to ensure they are safe and effective. Dose #1: 11–12 years (can start at age 9) Dose #2: 6–12 months after the first dose Children ages 11–12 years should get two doses of HPV vaccine, given 6 to 12 months apart. HPV vaccines can be given starting at age 9 years. Early protection works best. That’s why HPV vaccine is recommended earlier rather than later. It protects your child long before they ever have contact with the virus. Children who start the HPV vaccine series on or after their 15th birthday need three doses, given over 6 months. Teens and young adults should be vaccinated too Everyone through age 26 years should get HPV vaccine if they were not fully vaccinated already. HPV vaccination is not recommended for everyone older than age 26 years. Some adults age 27 through 45 years who were not already vaccinated might choose to get HPV vaccine after speaking with their doctor about their risk for new HPV infections and possible benefits of vaccination for them. HPV vaccination of adults provides less benefit, because more people in this age range were exposed to HPV already. HPV vaccination is preventing cancer-causing infections and precancers HPV infections and cervical precancers (abnormal cells on the cervix that can lead to cancer) have dropped since 2006, when HPV vaccines were first used in the United States. Among teen girls, infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 88 percent. Among young adult women, infections with HPV types that cause most HPV cancers and genital warts have dropped 81 percent. Among vaccinated women, the percentage of cervical precancers caused by the HPV types most often linked to cervical cancer has dropped by 40 percent. Source: https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccine-for-hpv.html

Please come to your vaccination appointment with: -Photo ID, -insurance card (if applicable), and -Red White & Blue Medicare card (if applicable) to your appointment. Adults recommended to receive Hepatitis B vaccine: Persons at risk for infection by sexual exposure Sex partners of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)–positive persons Sexually active persons who are not in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship (e.g., persons with more than one sex partner during the previous 6 months) Persons seeking evaluation or treatment for a sexually transmitted infection Men who have sex with men Persons at risk for infection by percutaneous or mucosal exposure to blood Current or recent injection-drug users Household contacts of HBsAg-positive persons Residents and staff of facilities for developmentally disabled persons Health care and public safety personnel with reasonably anticipated risk for exposure to blood or blood-contaminated body fluids Hemodialysis patients and pre-dialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and home dialysis patients Persons with diabetes aged 19–59 years; persons with diabetes aged ≥60 years at the discretion of the treating clinician International travelers to countries with high or intermediate levels of endemic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (HBsAg prevalence of ≥2%) Persons with hepatitis C virus infection Persons with chronic liver disease (including, but not limited to, persons with cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, alcoholic liver disease, autoimmune hepatitis, or an alanine aminotransferase [ALT] or aspartate aminotransferase [AST] level greater than twice the upper limit of normal) Persons with HIV infection Incarcerated persons All other persons seeking protection from HBV infection Source: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hepb/index.html