August is National Immunization Awareness Month and a perfect time to check whether you’re up to date on your immunizations.
August is National Immunization Awareness Month. At MetroHealth, we recognize that vaccines are a vital part of health care. They save lives by helping to create protective antibodies that your body uses to fight off infections.
Why get vaccinated?
Vaccines help ensure you don’t spread any preventable, contagious diseases to your family or your community. There are many diseases that we don’t see any more or have a very small number of cases per year due to vaccines such as polio, tetanus and chickenpox, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
It’s especially important to get vaccinated if you are immunocompromised or are in an age range that makes you more at risk for severe illness, such as infants or those who are over 60 years old.
New RSV and Covid Booster Coming Soon
In May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine approved for use in the United States. RSV is a highly contagious virus that causes infections of the lungs and breathing passages in individuals of all age groups – but can be especially life-threatening for infants or people over 60 years old.
The FDA also approved a new COVID booster to combat the new strands, XBB.1.5-1.6, which should be available in the U.S later this fall.
Vaccines Carried at MetroHealth
At MetroHealth, we offer many common adult immunizations such as:
- COVID-19 (new boosters coming soon)
- Pneumonia
- Shingles
- Tetanus
- Meningitis
- HPV
- Hepatitis A and B
- Rabies
- RSV
- Seasonal Flu Shots
- Travel Immunizations and more
You or your loved ones can walk into our pharmacy anytime to get immunized, or if you prefer, make an appointment on MyChart. We have 11 pharmacy locations with extended hours for more convenience.
Additionally, vaccines are available at no cost to individuals with Medicare.
“Vaccines are a great way to protect yourself and your loved ones from disease,” says Brian Colbert, Pharmacist and Center Director of Retail Pharmacy Operations at MetroHealth. “We are proud to offer a variety of important vaccines, and we want to ensure all our patients have equal access to high quality health care, including vaccines and immunizations. Be proactive with your health and make sure you are up to date on your vaccinations.”
