As the month of August draws to a close the Brownwood/Brown County Health Department continues to celebrate National Immunization Awareness Month. School has begun for students from Head Start to College, so the health department wants to shift its focus to adults for this last week of NIAM 2014.

Vaccines are not just for children, and adults should get vaccinated to protect their health. Even healthy adults can become seriously ill from vaccine-preventable diseases, and can pass those illnesses on to others. Immunizations are especially important for adults 60 years of age and older, and for those who have chronic health conditions such as COPD, diabetes and heart disease. Immunizations are also very important for any adults who come into close contact with the very young, the very old, people with weakened immune systems, and those who cannot be vaccinated.

Health Department officials say that all adults should get a flu vaccine each year to protect against seasonal influenza. They should also get a Tdap vaccine once if they did not receive it as an adolescent to protect against pertussis, and then a Td booster shot every 10 years. The Tdap vaccine is also recommended for women each time they are pregnant, preferably at 27-36 weeks.

The need for other adult vaccines, such as shingles, pneumococcal, hepatitis, and HPV depends on one’s age, occupation, travel, health status, and other risk factors.

The Brownwood/Brown County Health Department wants to encourage all adults to review their immunization status. If there is a question about whether vaccines are needed, please call the health department at 325-646-0554.

The health department will offer through Friday, August 29th, free cholesterol checks to adults 40 years of age and older while supplies last.