Vaccines help protect children from many diseases that can cause
serious health problems including life threatening illnesses, lasting
disabilities, brain damage and even death. The risks from disease
are much greater than risks from vaccines. Vaccines are also often
called called shots or immunizations.
Before vaccines, thousands of people died from whooping cough, diphtheria
and tetanus. Many died or suffered severe disabilities from polio. Today,
vaccines can prevent these diseases. In the US, vaccination programs
have dramatically decreased the occurrence of many childhood vaccine
preventable diseases.
Vaccines work by helping to strengthen the body’s immune system. Vaccines
cause the body to make antibodies. These antibodies help the
body fight diseases. Once vaccines are given, antibodies continue
to fight diseases for months or years. Some vaccines can protect
for life; others may need to be repeated.
The Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department with offices in Calhoun, Pleasants,
Ritchie, Roane, Wirt, and Wood Counties offers Immunizations. Some
immunizations are available in combination form, which helps reduce
the number of “shots” given at one time. The immunizations
available are:
• DTAP(Diptheria, Tetanus & Pertussis (whooping cough)
• IPV(POLIO)
• HEPATITIS B
• MMR(measles, mumps and rubella)
• HIB(Haemophilus Influenza type B)
• VARIVAX(Chicken Pox)
• PREVNAR (Streptococcus Pneumonia)
• PPD-(Tuberculosis skin test
The Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department begins giving immunizations
to children at 8 weeks of age. A nurse administers the “shot”
or oral vaccine, and provides education about the vaccine and care
of the child after the vaccine is given. Immunizations are given
by appointments at the following Mid-Ohio Valley locations: Calhoun
( 354-6101); Roane (927-1480); Pleasants ( 684-2461); Wirt
(275-3131); Ritchie (643-2917) and Wood (485-7374).
There is an Administrative fee of 20.00, but no one is denied services
for lack of finances.
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