Flu season may be on the back burner now that spring has officially arrived, but that doesn’t mean you should place your immunizations on the back burner, too. Immunizations aren’t just for kids, and the vaccinations that you received as a child can wear off as you get older. As a result, you may be at risk for certain diseases that could be prevented with proper immunization.

But why is it so important to stay up-to-date on your vaccines? Is it really a problem to let certain immunizations lapse? Here are a few key reasons why you ought to talk to your primary care physicians about vaccinations.

1. It Protects Your Well-Being

The number one reason why you may want to stay up-to-date on your immunizations is that it helps to protect your health and your well-being. With today’s medical advances, we’re able to protect against many different types of diseases and illnesses that could have a detrimental impact on your health. Some diseases may put your life at risk while others could have long-term side effects such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and even paralysis. The latter is a long-term side effect of polio, one of the most feared diseases to impact the United States. With vaccines, we’re able to prevent diseases like polio from affecting our lives.

2. It Protects Your Productivity

Nobody enjoys being sick, and vaccine-preventable illnesses can have a negative impact on your productivity both at work and at home. For example, the flu can leave you bedridden for up to a week (or even longer in some cases). As a result, you may need to call into work at the last minute, which can be an issue depending on your workplace’s PTO policy. The last thing you want is to take multiple sick days that may be unpaid.

While we may not be able to prevent ourselves from getting sick, we can reduce our chances of coming down with an illness by getting vaccinated. According to the CDC, it’s recommended to receive a seasonal flu vaccine each year for everyone aged 6 months and older.

3. It Protects Your Loved Ones

Another key reason why it’s crucial to state up-to-date on your immunizations is to protect your friends and family. In some cases, some individuals may not be able to receive vaccines because of their age or their immune system. For example, as we stated above, the CDC recommends that those aged 6 months or older receive a flu vaccine every year. Your friend’s new baby isn’t able to receive a flu vaccine, and so they’re at risk of becoming sick if you interact with them while you’re ill and don’t know it yet.

Oftentimes, we may not know we’re sick until two to three days after we’ve become infected. This can put those we love at risk. By getting your immunizations, you can help to prevent yourself from getting sick and passing on that illness to your loved ones while you’re infectious.

4. It Protects Your Local Community

Have you ever noticed news articles that announce when a certain virus or ailment is going around your neighborhood such as a stomach bug or the flu? That’s because, when we interact with others when we’re infectious, we can pass on our germs very quickly.

It’s important to do our part to protect not only our friends and family members but also those in our local communities by getting ourselves vaccinated at your primary care doctor’s office. This can help to protect those in our communities who may be immunocompromised or at greater risk of life-threatening or long-term effects.

How Do I Know If I Need a Vaccine?

If you’re not sure if you’re up-to-date on your latest vaccines, talk to your primary care doctor. Primary care services can provide a blood test to check for which immunizations you may need if you don’t have them on record.

Staying up-to-date on your immunizations is a great way to protect yourself, your family, and your community. What’s more, you can receive immunizations right at your local walk-in urgent care. For more information or to schedule a vaccination, reach out to us today at Care Station Medical Group. We’re available to answer any immunization-related questions you may have.