Vaccines - Potters Pharmacy St Julians

Hepatitis B Vaccine

Infection with hepatitis B can be prevented by vaccination. It is possible to have a mild illness that lasts a few weeks, or it is possible to have a severe and life-threatening illness that lasts for the rest of your life.

Hepatitis B infection, also known as acute hepatitis B, is a short-term illness that can result in symptoms such as fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes, dark urine, clay-colored feces), as well as pain in the muscles, joints, and stomach.
Infection with the hepatitis B virus can cause chronic hepatitis B infection, a long-term illness that occurs when the virus remains in the body for an extended period. Even though most people who contract chronic hepatitis B do not show any symptoms, it is severe. It can result in liver damage (cirrhosis), liver cancer, and even death if left untreated. People infected with the hepatitis B virus can spread the virus to others for an extended period, even if they do not appear to be ill themselves.

Hepatitis B is spread when a person who is not infected with the hepatitis B virus has blood, sperm, or other bodily fluids that are infected with the hepatitis B virus. People can become infected in the following ways:

"Birth" is an abbreviation for "birthing" (if a mother has hepatitis B, her baby can become infected)
Sharing personal items with an infected person, such as razors or toothbrushes, can spread the disease.
Contact with an infected person's blood or open sores is the most common way to contract the disease.
Having sexual relations with an infected partner
Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment is not permitted under any circumstances.
Blood exposure from needlesticks or other sharp instruments is a health risk. The majority of people who receive the hepatitis B vaccine are protected for the rest of their lives.

Hepatitis B vaccine is typically administered in a series of two, three, or four shots.

Infants should receive their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, and they should finish the series by the time they reach the age of six months (sometimes, it will take longer than six months to complete the series).

According to the CDC, children, and adolescents younger than 19 years of age who have not yet received the vaccine should also be vaccinated.

The hepatitis B vaccine is also recommended for confident adults who have not been vaccinated against the virus:

People who have hepatitis B as a result of their sexual partners
Interested parties who are sexually active but are not in a long-term monogamous relationship Interested parties who are seeking evaluation or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease
Men who have sexual contact with other men are considered to be heterosexual.
People who share needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment are referred to as "sharers."
Infected with the hepatitis B virus through close contact with an infected member of the household
Health-care delivery and public safety are two essential considerations. Workers who are at risk of being exposed to blood or bodily fluids
Residents and employees of facilities for developmentally disabled people are a diverse group.
Individuals incarcerated in correctional facilities.
Those who have been the victims of sexual assault or abuse
Travelers to areas with high rates of hepatitis B should take precautions.
People suffering from chronic liver disease, kidney disease, HIV infection, hepatitis C infection, or diabetes should seek medical attention.
Anyone who wishes to be protected against hepatitis B should take the vaccine.

It is possible to administer the Hepatitis B vaccine at the same time as other vaccines.

Typhoid Vaccine

The typhoid vaccine is effective in preventing typhoid fever.

People who are actively ill with typhoid fever and people who are carriers of the bacteria that causes typhoid fever can transmit the bacteria to others. When a person consumes or drinks contaminated food or drink, the bacteria can multiply and spread throughout the body, resulting in typhoid fever and other complications.

Typhoid fever has the potential to be a life-threatening illness. High fever that lasts for several days, weakness, stomach pain, headache, diarrhea or constipation, coughing, and loss of appetite are all signs that you have a virus.

There are two vaccines available to protect against typhoid fever. The difference between the two vaccines is that one is inactivated (killed), and the other is alive and attenuated (weakened). Your healthcare provider can assist you in determining which type of typhoid vaccine is the most appropriate for your needs.

It is necessary to administer the inactivated typhoid vaccine by injection (shot). It can be given to anyone who is two years old or older. It is recommended to take one dose at least two weeks before traveling. Repeated doses are recommended every two years for people who continue to be at risk of developing cancer.
Oral administration of live typhoid vaccine is recommended (by mouth). It is only available to those who are six years old or older. Every other day, one capsule is taken, for a total of four capsules per day. A minimum of one week before travel, the final dose should be administered. Take one capsule with cold or lukewarm water about an hour before meals, swallowing the capsule whole (do not chew). For people who continue to be at risk, a booster vaccination is required every five years. It is critical to remember that live typhoid vaccine capsules must be kept refrigerated (not frozen).

In the United States, routine typhoid vaccination is not recommended; however, typhoid vaccine is recommended for the following situations:

The typhoid vaccine can be administered at the same time as other vaccines.

Polio Vaccine

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children receive the polio vaccine to protect them against polio or poliomyelitis. Since 2000, the only polio vaccine available in the United States has been the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), which is administered to children. IPV is administered through a shot in either the leg or the arm, depending on the patient’s age. In other countries, oral polio vaccine (OPV) is used to prevent polio.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children receive four doses of the polio vaccine. It is recommended that they receive one dose at each of the following ages: 2 to 4 months of age, 6 to 18 months of age, and 4 to 6 years of age

Infants and Children

In order to protect against polio or poliomyelitis, children in the United States should receive inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) as a child. They should receive a total of four doses, with one dose administered at each of the following ages:

Children who will be traveling to a country where the risk of contracting polio is higher should complete the series before embarking on their journey to that country. If a child is unable to complete the routine series before leaving, an accelerated schedule is recommended, which looks something like this:

Consider the possibility that the accelerated schedule will not be completed before leaving the country. Those remaining doses should be administered in the affected country or upon return home at the intervals recommended in the accelerated schedule in that case Aside from that, children who have completed the accelerated schedule should still receive an IPV dose when they are four years old or older, provided that it has been at least six months since their last dose.

Adults

The majority of adults do not require the polio vaccine because they were already protected against the disease as children. In contrast, three groups of adults are at greater risk of contracting polio and should consider polio vaccination in the following circumstances:

You are traveling to a country where the risk of contracting polio is higher than in your home country. For more specific information on whether you need to be immunized, consult with your healthcare provider.
It is your job to work in a laboratory, where you will be handling specimens that may contain polioviruses.
As a healthcare worker, you may come into contact with patients who may be infected with poliovirus or who may have had close contact with a person infected with poliovirus.

If you are an adult in one of these three groups who has never been immunized against polio, you should get three shots of IPV:

These three groups of adults who have received one or two doses of polio vaccine in the past should receive the remaining one or two doses of polio vaccine. Irrespective of how long it has been since the previous dose (s).

The IPV vaccine can be given to adults who are at increased risk of poliovirus exposure and who have previously completed the routine series of polio vaccines (IPV or OPV). This is a once-in-a-lifetime dose of IPV.

Measles Vaccine

Measles is a highly contagious virus-borne disease that affects children. When a person who is infected coughs or sneezes, the virus spreads through the air. Coughing, runny nose, red eyes, and fever are the first signs of measles. Then a rash of small, red spots appears on the skin. It begins in the head and then spreads to the rest of the body like a rash.

The MMR vaccine is effective in preventing measles outbreaks. Measles, mumps, and rubella are among the diseases that the vaccine protects against. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children receive two doses of MMR vaccine. The first dose is administered between 12 and 15 months of age, and the second dose is administered between 4 and 6 years of age. Vaccination against the MMR should be completed by teenagers and adults as well.

In terms of safety and efficacy, the MMR vaccine is excellent. MMR vaccine is approximately 97 percent effective at protecting against measles; one dose is approximately 93 percent effective at protecting against measles.

MMRV vaccine is also available for children. This vaccine helps to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella, as well as varicella (chickenpox). This vaccine is only approved for children ages 12 months to 12 years, except for infants.

Before implementing the measles vaccination program in 1963, an estimated 3 to 4 million people in the United States contracted measles each year. Each year, approximately 500,000 cases were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); of these, 400 to 500 people died, 48,000 were hospitalized, and 1,000 people developed encephalitides (brain swelling) measles. It has been more than a decade since the widespread use of the measles virus-containing vaccine resulted in a more than 99 percent reduction in measles cases compared to the pre-vaccine era. Other countries, on the other hand, continue to have a high prevalence of measles. Unvaccinated people continue to contract measles while traveling abroad, bringing the disease back to the United States and infecting others with the disease.

Flu Vaccine

Influenza (flu) shot is a flu vaccine that is administered through the use of a needle, usually in the arm. Seasonal flu shots protect against three or four influenza viruses that, according to research, are likely to be the most prevalent during the upcoming flu season.

Flu vaccinations should be administered to everyone six months of age and older every season, with rare exceptions.

The effectiveness (VE) of influenza (flu) vaccine can vary. From season to season, the level of protection provided by a flu vaccine differs. Vaccine effectiveness is dependent on several factors, including the age and health status of the person receiving the vaccine, as well as the similarity, or “match,” between the viruses in the vaccine and those currently in circulation. The benefits of flu vaccination will vary depending on various factors, including the characteristics of the person being vaccinated (for example, their health and age), the influenza viruses circulating during that season, and, potentially, the type of flu vaccine administered.