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July 13, 2007 -- August is National Immunization Awareness Month,
and Kimball Medical Center is asking its local community to check
if they and their loved ones are up to date on their immunizations.
"Vaccines are a key to a healthy life for people of
all ages and cultures in our community, and we are using this opportunity
to remind people of the importance of being up-to-date," says Joe
Hicks, executive director of Kimball.
In August, parents are enrolling children in school,
older students are entering college and adults and the health care
community are preparing for the upcoming influenza season. This
makes August a particularly good time to focus community attention
on the value of immunization.
Vaccines have been used since the 1700's and are recognized
as among the safest and most effective means of preventing life-threatening
illness. Vaccines work by telling the person's immune system to
prepare itself for possible exposure to disease-causing viruses
or bacteria.
"When the person is actually exposed to the agent,
the body knows exactly what to do to fight off the disease," according
to family practitioner Vincent DeStasio, D.O., who is opening the
Family Walk-In at Howell Medical Pavilion this month to provide
convenient all-day, after-hour and weekend care for routine illnesses
and minor emergencies. “This not only protects the immunized
person, but it often limits the bug's ability to pass from person-to-person.
Thus, people who cannot be immunized because of underlying medical
conditions or who fail to respond to immunization are still protected
by virtue of what is referred to as community or herd immunity.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
recommends that children receive vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus,
pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, polio and others.
Adolescents should be vaccinated against hepatitis A, hepatitis
B and meningococcal disease, and others that may have been missed
earlier. Those recommended for adults include vaccines against influenza,
pneumococcal disease, tetanus and diphtheria.
For more information about vaccines and which ones
are right for you, contact your primary care physician or call Kimball’s
toll-free referral line at 888-SBHS-123 (888-724-7123), or visit
the National Partnership for Immunization Web site at www.partnersforimmunization.org.
CONTACT: Kathleen Horan
Public Relations and Marketing
732-557-3909
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