Just when the flu season is waning, I read an article about whooping cough (Pertussis). No, I don't have a persistent cough but I was surprised about what the article said. It stated that the vaccination that people get to prevent it starts to wear off in only a few years. It seems that it has now becoming a problem with people in middle age and older. What is even worse is that it is very, very contagous.
The big misconception is that only children can get it so when an adult comes in for a doctor's appointment, they don't even concider that an older person with a pesistant cough has whooping cough. Another rason why so many cases go undiagnosed in adults is that they recieved the vacination when they were young and it still gives them some advantage, so they don't get a severe case.
So, what can we do about it? I suppose we could all go to the doc's and ask for a booster vacination. But how many of us are going to do that? A pharmacutical company has donated 117,000 free booster shots to health clinics for low income families. The more people who are protected, the fewer people there are who get it and pass it along. So, how about all you get the vacination so that I don't have to. Now that sounds like a plan to me. Now you all have a cough free day, you hear?
I thought I did good getting a flu shot this year (first time ever)... NOW you're telling me I need another needle poking me in the derriere. Maybe I'll stock up on the Nyquil....
ReplyDeleteI don't get vaccinated any more. I believe in natural preventives and micronized beta glucan.
ReplyDeleteI got the combo shot before my grandson was born. I did not want to bring any trouble to him. The VA clinic said the shot was good for ten years.
ReplyDeleteAgainst my normal inclinations, I recently got a flu shot, pneumonia shot, and shingles vaccine. I'm not getting another shot!
ReplyDeleteBarney, my grandson is in his mid-20's, I don't think I need a shot just to protect him (grin). I read that it starts to loose potency after just a few years.
ReplyDeleteGypsy, I have debating about maybe getting a shingles vaccine shot. Haven't made up my mind yet. I will probably put it off so long I will die first.
ReplyDeleteGET THE SHINGLES VACCINE!!! I had them, and they were the most painful thing I've ever had.
Trouble, I will consider it, but don't count on me getting it.
ReplyDeleteThe whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine was added to the adult tetanus booster in 2008, so if you have had a tetanus booster since then (they only last 10 years), you should have had the Tdap, which includes tetanus, diptheria, and acellular pertussis - boy, there is a mouthful - vaccine. Adults only need tdap once though, so if we live long enough to need our next tetanus, it looks, at this point, like it should just be a tetanus diptheria shot the next time. In many states, county public health departments receive low cost vaccine from the state for people without insurance or with high deductibles. It wouldn't hurt to check. That was a great post, DD - whooping cough used to kill alot of people, especially kids, but even if it doesn't kill you, it can make you darn sick. My oldest got it in high school; for weeks I used to count the number of seconds from the end of one coughing jag til the beginning of the next. Never got past 33...
ReplyDeleteMargie
Annon, I have not had any injections, not even tetanus for many, many years, probably over 25 years or more. Thanks for the information.
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