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Patients need other shots, not just the covid vaccine
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While many Americans may be obsessing about the coronavirus vaccine and when they and their loved ones can get it, this also may be an ideal time to discuss with doctors many other shots that may be beneficial. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has posted on its web site handy, downloadable, and printable schedules with recommendations on immunizations both for patients 18 and younger and adults. Pediatricians have issued urgent advisories to grown-ups about ensuring kids get their shots according to the guidelines, the pandemic notwithstanding. This is what Dr. Jesse Hackell, a practicing pediatrician in Rockland County, N.Y., and chairman of the American Academy of Physicians’ committee on practice and ambulatory medicine, told the New York Times: “The biggest concern we have is that even though we’re consumed by the pandemic, the other stuff doesn’t go away.” As another colleague told the newspaper: When extended families can gather safely again, the grownups should consider talking to their doctors not only about getting the coronavirus vaccine but also about shots for transmissible infections like whooping cough, or, if they have not had the diseases or inoculations before, contagions like measles and mumps. Doctors may advise patients every decade or so to get a booster shot for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis. Older adults may be urged to get vaccinated against shingles and a bacteria that causes a common form of pneumonia. For adolescents, doctors may talk to parents about giving them vaccines against meningitis and HPV, or human papilloma virus — the infection that can lead to cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, and throat. Vaccinations, like all medical interventions, carry risks, and patients should understand these, particularly by discussing them in detail with their doctors. But the benefits of inoculations have far outweighed their risks, revolutionizing health care, historically speaking, and minimizing or even eliminating major harms from once widespread and lethal infections. Those with questions or concerns about the impending coronavirus vaccination may wish to get ahead of the curve and research the vaccine thoroughly now, analyzing its individual risks and benefits with care. They may wish to talk early with their doctors and pharmacists about the shots and their prospective availability to specific individuals, depending on their health, age, and work. Credits: Graphic from the CDC. Photos from Unsplash, dog walking by @Francistogram, couch chilling by @introspectivedesign, stretching by @matt909. |
So much went down in terrible ’20, it needs its own index …
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Because our law firm is committed to helping patients and their families get the best possible medical care, my colleagues and I have long sought via different channels to provide timely, reliable information — in our blog (click here for the DC Medical Malpractice and Patient Safety Blog) and this monthly newsletter. The blog reports in hundreds of posts annually on key developments in health care and consumer affairs. My newsletter aims to help patients and their families get the best possible medical care. I try to teach consumers how to become their own advocates for high-quality care and how to ask the right questions and get the best answers — from doctors, nurses, and other health care providers. The U.S. medical care system can be intimidating and daunting for the average consumer, so we take on a whole range of issues important for anyone getting health care. Our archive is accessible here. You can sign up to receive our newsletter here. 2020 was a year like no other. And it is worth indexing what we reported in recent newsletters (in reverse chronological order) to assist clients and readers. The newsletters are hyperlinked, meaning they can be accessed by clicking on the type of a different color. DEC.: Simple steps to strengthen resilience in these tough pandemic times OCT.: The world sees a sickly U.S. health system, wobbling in pandemic and a divisive election AUG.: Covid-19 and nursing homes: Should families sue? JULY: For African Americans, relentless health inequities require urgent redress JUNE: Taming the cognitive biases that mess with our decision-making MAY: Will Covid-19 pandemic throw rigorous science into pandemonium APRIL: Protecting hearts, minds, and souls in a time of pandemic MARCH: Special edition: Practical tips from a virus expert on how to protect yourself from Covid-19 And: What are viruses, anyway, and why should we care? FEB.: Deaths from lung cancer are down, but big reasons persist to breathe uneasy about respiratory health JAN.: A new year and new decade come into 20-20 focus: Resolve to eat better and move more. |
Recent Health Care Blog Posts |
Here are some recent posts on our patient safety blog that might interest you:
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HERE’S TO A HEALTHY 2021!
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Sincerely, Patrick Malone |