Vaccination FAQs (cont.)
What are invalid reasons for postponing vaccination?
Vaccination should not
be postponed for any of the following reasons:
- Mild illness: Low-grade fever,
colds, upper respiratory-tract infections, and mild diarrhea are not reasons to
put off vaccination.
- Antibiotics: The current administration of antibiotics is
not a reason to put off vaccination.
- Household contacts of pregnant women or
immunosuppressed patients: Living in a house with a pregnant woman or an
immunosuppressed patient is not a reason to put off vaccination. Two exceptions
are the live attenuated nasal influenza vaccine and smallpox vaccine.
- Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding is not a reason for either the mother or baby to
put off vaccination.
- Preterm birth: Preterm birth is not a reason to put off
vaccination.
- Generalized allergies: Children with allergies, but no history of
reactions to vaccine components, should receive vaccines as recommended.
- Family history: Having a family member who had an adverse reaction to a vaccine
is not a reason to put off vaccination.
Why do we keep giving vaccines if the
number of cases of the vaccine-preventable diseases are at a record low in the
United States?
Vaccine-preventable diseases are indeed infrequent in the United
States because of the success of the vaccine program. However, if people start
to not take the vaccine, these diseases will come back rapidly. This occurred
with measles in the early 1990s and resulted in many deaths.
Is there any
financial help for people who have been injured by vaccines?
In 1986, the
United States government set up the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act. This
act provides a "no fault" compensation mechanism for people injured by
vaccines.
Next: I am a health-care worker. Is there anything different
that I need to do compared with non-health-care workers? »
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