You’re Never Too Old for Vaccines

vaccination-2722937_1280 (2)Keep Up with Vaccines Throughout Your Life

Did you know that your risk for many preventable illnesses increases as you age? Vaccines protect you from getting sick and spreading disease to others. And here’s the good news: most people who get vaccinated become immune to the disease.

Your Health Plan covers all recommended vaccines at 100%when you receive them from an in network provider or an Express Scripts network pharmacy. Talk to your doctor about the vaccines that are appropriate for you, based on your health history, conditions, age, occupation and travel plans.

Here are some important vaccines recommended for adults:

  • INFLUENZA Recommended: Get the flu vaccine every year. The flu is a contagious respiratory virus that can be severe and lead to death.
  • DIPHTHERIA, TETANUS AND PERTUSSIS (WHOOPING COUGH) Recommended: A Td booster every 10 years (following childhood vaccination).These illnesses can cause breathing difficulties, severe symptoms requiring hospitalization, ongoing complications and death.
  • MEASLES, MUMPS AND RUBELLA (MMR) Recommended for adults who weren’t vaccinated during childhood. These illnesses can be highly contagious and cause pneumonia, encephalitis, pregnancy complications…even death.
  • VARICELLA (CHICKENPOX) Recommended for adults who aren’t vaccinated and have not had chickenpox. This highly contagious disease causes an itchy, blister-like rash.
  • SHINGLES (HERPES ZOSTER) Recommended: For adults age 50 and older. This extremely painful rash can lead to severe, ongoing pain. Anyone who has had chickenpox may develop shingles.
  • HPV HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS Recommended: Get vaccinated by age 26 (21 for men). This sexually transmitted virus causes cancer in 30,000 unvaccinated people in the U.S. every year.
  • PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASE Recommended: For adults age 65 and older. This bacterial disease can result in bloodstream infections, pneumonia and meningitis.

Source: Centers for Disease Control

 THE MEASLES OUTBREAK

Although vaccinations have nearly eliminated measles in the US, there is an outbreak in the Northwest this year, and anyone who has not been vaccinated is at risk for getting this highly contagious disease.

Protect yourself, your family and others by keeping your vaccinations current. You are considered immune to measles if you have been vaccinated.

If you are an adult and don’t know if you have been vaccinated for measles, a repeated vaccination is not harmful to your health and will protect you from illness. You can get vaccinated at your doctor’s office or an Express Scripts participating pharmacy.

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