Vaccinations should be on the ‘back to school’ check off list

Vaccines are tested to ensure that they are safe and effective for children to receive at the recommended ages.

“A lot of these illnesses we just don’t see anymore because people are vaccinated, I’ve never seen a case of tetanus, because we vaccinate against tetanus,” said Gregory Anderson, DO at Black Hills Pediatrics L.L.P. “We used to see a lot of B meningitis in kids but they came out with a vaccine about 20 years ago and now we rarely ever see it, which is great.”

More than one dose is necessary for many vaccines, to build and boost immunity. Because influenza viruses are constantly changing and the body’s immune response declines over time, everyone over the age of six months needs a flu shot every year.

“We are definitely recommending everyone get their influenza shots this year, especially with people having to miss work because of COVID, missing school because of COVID,” Anderson said. “Most places have it by the end of September – beginning of October.”