Health

Half of Adolescents Need Vaccines

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Meningococcal meningitis, pertussis, influenza, human papillomavirus (HPV), and chickenpox.

There is a way to protect your preteen or teenager from these diseases. Yet most of the 300,000 adolescents in our region have not received all recommended vaccines.

February 12-18 is Preteen Vaccine Week and the County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) encourages parents to immunize their adolescent children. Vaccines are available at doctors’ offices, community clinics, and many pharmacies. People with no medical insurance can get vaccinated at one of the County’s seven public health centers. 

“These adolescent diseases can be prevented,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer. “Vaccinating your children is the best line of defense.”

According to the 2009-2010 San Diego Immunization Survey, the following percentages of adolescents had been vaccinated:

Meningitis:      47 percent
Pertussis:       47 percent (Now likely to be much higher due to the new pertussis booster law.)
Influenza:       30 percent
HPV:              50 percent (Includes only females; vaccine now also recommended for males.)
Chickenpox:    81 percent

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends these vaccines and doses at the ages below.

Preteen and Teen Vaccines

  Vaccine   Age   Doses
  Meningitis   11 – 18 yrs.   2
  Pertussis Booster     11 – 12 yrs. & older   1
  Flu   6 mos. and older (Annually)     1-2 (depends on prior vaccination history) 
  HPV   11 – 12 yrs.   3
  Chickenpox   13 yrs. and older   2

 

Everyone 6 months and older should receive an annual flu shot.  Two doses of flu vaccine are recommended for children 8 years and younger who are receiving it for the first time, otherwise only one dose is recommended. Two doses of chickenpox vaccine are recommended for unvaccinated adolescents who have not had the disease.

Parents should be aware that all 7th graders need to show proof they   received the pertussis booster shot (Tdap) before starting school.
For more information on vaccines, call the HHSA Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966 or visit sdiz.org