The importance of vaccinations for every age
August is National Immunization Awareness Month, which gives us an opportunity to highlight the importance of getting recommended vaccines throughout your life. Regular immunizations are a critical component in protecting not only your overall health, but the health of our greater community, national and global populations.
A landmark study published by the World Health Organization found that since widespread vaccination programs began nearly 50 years ago, at least 154 million lives have been saved. The study focused on infectious diseases such as measles, diphtheria, polio and others, immunization against typical seasonal illnesses such as flu and COVID-19 are also critical to population health.
As we head into cold and flu season here in New England, we consulted with the medical directors from each of our lines of business to get their take on immunizations and the role they play in keeping our communities safe and healthy.
Raj Hazarika – Vice President & Chief Medical Officer, Commercial Products
“Everyone over the age of six months should plan to receive the updated COVID and flu vaccinations, and they should plan to take these whether or not they have been previously vaccinated. In addition, certain select populations should consider the RSV vaccine. They are meant for adults 60-74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV, and everyone aged 75 and older.
Taking a few vaccinations every year is a small inconvenience for potentially major benefits to your own health and those of your loved ones. These vaccinations are available at neighborhood pharmacies and healthcare facilities. Please call ahead regarding availability and plan to receive these vaccinations early in the fall/winter season so that you can maximize the potential benefits for the entire season.”
David Elvin – Vice President & Chief Medical Officer, Public Plans
“This time of year, we should consider vaccinations that prevent the kinds of conditions and infections that we often catch in the fall and winter. Generally speaking, people in our area would want to protect themselves against influenza and COVID.
The reasons why an adult might need a vaccine varies. One good reason to get a vaccine may be because we are personally at risk and the vaccine will prevent us from getting sick personally. Another important reason to get a vaccine is to protect the vulnerable like children, seniors or people with immunosuppression. Sometimes our healthy, younger population should think about getting some vaccines as part of a responsibility to others.
When we think of vaccines, often we think about children who receive many shots to prevent infections that are dangerous for children, pregnant women or are important when they grow up. For example, diphtheria is a concern for babies but not so much for adults, and rubella is very dangerous during pregnancy and children tend to be around pregnant moms, so this vaccine is extremely important. The HPV vaccine prevents oropharyngeal and cervical cancer but must be given well before an infection. It is critical that we recognize that childhood vaccines remain the most successful, safe, evidence-based clinical intervention we have to prevent pediatric illness and death and no child or family should suffer from preventable diseases.”
Jonathan Harding – Vice President & Chief Medical Officer, Medicare
“Vaccines are the best way to prevent illnesses. There aren’t vaccines against every infection, but for those infections with available vaccines the benefit to risk ratio is very high. They only work for prevention; once you are ill it’s too late for vaccines to protect you.
Influenza is an annual vaccine we recommend in the fall prior to the start of flu season. We also recommend COVID-19 revaccination every four months for at-risk individuals, including those over age 65 or for those with diabetes, heart or lung disease, or people on immunosuppressive drugs. Before pneumonia season starts, check to see you have had your pneumonia vaccines – pneumovax and Prevnar – as each are only needed once in a lifetime.
As we grow older our immune responses wane, but also, the prevalence of diseases such as heart failure, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes and other conditions that increase the severity of infections increases. Therefore, as we age past 65 or so, vaccines are even more important to protect our health.”
The Center’s for Disease Control provides vaccination guidance for childhood vaccinations and seasonal COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. If you have any questions about your previous immunizations, your current vaccination status or what steps you can take to prevent disease spread, please talk to your primary care provider.