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You might be missing out on some immune-system superpowers that are yours for the asking at your local pharmacy. Besides protecting yourself—who wants chicken pox and tetanus?—staying up-to-date on shots helps to keep dangerous germs out of circulation and away from others.
Some of the shots that you may need, even as a healthy adult, are ones that protect against:
- Tetanus, an infection you can get from infected wounds. You may have had a tetanus shot before, but the immunity wears off over time. Get a booster (as part of a TD or Tdap shot) anytime you step on a rusty nail, or better yet, every ten years.
- Pertussis, or whooping cough. Most healthy adults who get pertussis just experience a bad cough that eventually goes away. But you can pass it to children or other vulnerable people, where it can be life-threatening. Better to get your Tdap shot (which includes tetanus and diphtheria) so the germ can’t hitch a ride on you.
- As part of a new recommendation, pregnant women should get the Tdap vaccine in their third trimester, even if they’ve had it before. This gives the baby an extra dose of anti-pertussis antibodies to tide him over until he can safely get the vaccine himself at 2 months old.
- Chickenpox, which can be more serious in adults than in children. If you didn’t get either the disease or the vaccine as a kid, get it now. (If you’re over 60, you’ll want the shingles vaccine instead, whether you’ve had chickenpox or not.)
These vaccines are available at most pharmacies that offer flu shots, like CVS, Walgreens, and Target. Insurance will usually cover them.
Even if you don’t know whether you had these vaccines in the past, it’s usually safe to get another dose; ask the pharmacist if you have any concerns. Read more at the link below for other vaccines you may be missing.
Vaccines That Boost Your Immunity | Consumer Reports
Photo by Dylan.
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