Vaccines

Pertussis is the only vaccine-preventable disease that continues to rise in the U.S. Before 2005, only young children could receive the pertussis vaccine. Waning immunity and inadequate vaccination — many parents choose not to vaccinate their children — have led to a resurgence of the disease in the U.S. in recent years. Outbreaks of pertussis among adolescents and adults have been reported in several states.

Although it’s rare, someone may have a severe allergic reaction to an ingredient in the vaccine. Most of the time, such reactions occur within a few minutes to a few hours of receiving the vaccine. The following can be signs of a severe allergic reaction:

Seek immediate medical care if you notice any of these signs after receiving the influenza vaccine.

• Behavior changes
• Breathing difficulty, including wheezing
• Dizziness
• Hoarse voice
• High fever
• Hives
• Pale skin
• Rapid heart beat
• Weakness

Tdap is a combination vaccine that protects against three potentially life-threatening bacterial diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Td is a booster vaccine for tetanus and diphtheria. It does not protect against pertussis.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent chickenpox. A chickenpox vaccine has been available in the U.S. since 1995 and is easy to get from a doctor or a public health clinic. The chickenpox vaccine is very effective at preventing the disease — between 70% and 90% of people who get vaccinated will be completely immune to chickenpox. If a vaccinated person does get chickenpox, the symptoms will be very mild and only last for a few days.

The meningococcal vaccine protects you from four types of bacteria that cause meningococcal disease. This illness can cause meningitis, an infection of the lining around the brain or spinal cord. It can also cause a blood infection (meningococcal bacteremia), pneumonia, and other problems.

A few people get a short-term mild rash, fever, swollen glands, or pain and stiffness in the joints after getting the shot. More serious and rare side effects include a temporary low platelet count or serious allergic reaction.

Call your doctor if you have trouble breathing, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, hives, weakness, or other problems after vaccination.

The vaccines are made up of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis toxins that have been made nontoxic but still have the ability to create an immune response. These vaccines don’t contain live bacteria.

Ideally, you should get the seasonal flu vaccine by the end of October. But getting vaccinated with the flu shot makes sense any time during flu season, which may last from September to May.

The three diseases covered by the MMR vaccine — measles, mumps, and rubella — are highly contagious. Viruses cause all three of these illnesses, and they spread through the air. They can pass from person to person through coughing, sneezing, or just breathing.