Immunizations

Per Ohio Law, we cannot vaccinate any individual under the age of seven years old. Also, we cannot vaccinate any individual between the ages of seven and twelve years old without a prescription from their respective pediatrician. We can vaccinate anyone over the age of thirteen without a prescription provided that it is recommended by the CDC.

Flu

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that everyone 6 months of age and older, with rare exception, should receive a flu vaccination every year — even if you have never had the flu.¹

High-Dose Flu

A higher dose for a stronger immune response to the flu than the standard flu vaccine.² As you get older, your immune system weakens.² Which means your antibody response after getting the traditional flu vaccine is not as high as it used to be.³ The high-dose flu vaccine is made for people 65+ and it helps promote a stronger immune response to the flu than Fluzone vaccine.⁴

As you age, you take extra steps, like eating right and exercising, to help prevent disease. But even if you take good care of yourself, if you’re 65 or older, take one more step. Help protect yourself against pneumococcal pneumonia with the pneumonia vaccine. The CDC recommends that adults 65 or older receive the pneumonia vaccine to help protect against pneumococcal disease.⁵ Even if you have already been vaccinated with a pneumococcal vaccine, another pneumonia vaccine may help provide additional protection.

Pneumonia

Shingles

99% of people over 50 years of age are living with the virus that causes shingles, with 1 in 3 people getting shingles in their lifetime.⁶ The shingles vaccine is given as a 2-dose series, with the second shot administered 2 to 6 months after the first shot. To ensure you get the protection against shingles offered by the shingles vaccine, it's important to get both shots.

The TDaP vaccine is indicated for active booster immunization for the prevention of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis as a single dose in persons 11 through 64 years of age.⁷ Family members are the primary source of pertussis in infants. Studies show that when the source can be identified, family members are the source in up to 83% of cases transmitted to infants.⁷ Infants under 6 months of age are most vulnerable to complications from pertussis.⁷

Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (TDaP)

References:

  1. CDC. Prevention and control of seasonal influenza with vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices — United States, 2016–17 Influenza Season. MMWR; August 26, 2016;65(5);1-54

  2. Aspinall R, Del Giudice G, Effros RB, Grubeck-Loebenstein B, Sambhara S. Challenges for vaccination in the elderly. Immun Ageing. 2007;4:9.

  3. Monto AS, Ansaldi F, Aspinall R, et al. Influenza control in the 21st century: optimizing protection of older adults. Vaccine. 2009;27(37):5043-5053.

  4. Fluzone High-Dose vaccine [Prescribing Information]. Swiftwater, PA: Sanofi Pasteur Inc.

  5. Moore MR, Link-Gelles R, Schaffner W, et al. Effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in children in the USA: A matched case-control study. Lancet Respir Med. 2016;4(5):399–406.

  6. Dooling KL, Guo A, Patel M, et al. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of Herpes Zoster Vaccines. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018;67:103–108. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6703a5.

  7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pertussis. In: Atkinson W, Wolfe C, Hamborsky J, eds. Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. 12th ed. Washington, DC: Public Health Foundation; 2011:215-232.