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    Press Release
    Sutter Regional Medical Foundation

    Sutter Pediatrician Addresses Importance of Immunizations - August 24, 2008
    August is National Immunization Awareness Month

    FAIRFIELD - From preschool to college, vaccinations are a part of the preparations for a new school year. Pediatrician Henry Collins, M.D., of Solano Regional Medical Group (SRMG), the multispecialty physician group affiliated with Sutter Regional Medical Foundation (SRMF), is talking about the importance and benefits of immunizations during National Immunization Awareness Month.

    "Immunizations give children a healthy start in life," says Dr. Collins, a veteran pediatrician with SRMG. "Regular physicals and immunizations are important tools for promoting healthy lives, from infants to the elderly."

    Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death. They not only help protect vaccinated individuals, but also help protect entire communities by preventing and reducing the spread of infectious diseases and life-threatening illnesses.

    Each day, nearly 12,000 babies are born in the U.S. who will need to be immunized against 14 vaccine-preventable diseases before age 2. According to the Centers for Disease Control, up to 56 percent of American children are not fully immunized by this age.

    Some adults incorrectly assume that the vaccines they received as children will protect them for the rest of their lives. However, Dr. Collins says, some adults were never vaccinated as children, newer vaccines were not available when some adults were children and immunity can begin to fade over time. Studies have shown that freshmen living in dorms are particularly vulnerable to meningococcal disease and many colleges recommend the vaccine. Also, as we age we become more susceptible to serious disease caused by common infections, such as the flu.

    "Vaccines are very safe and effective," Dr. Collins says. A ll are thoroughly tested and approved by the by the FDA. The Centers for Disease Control monitors all side effects to ensure vaccines continue to be safely given. Millions of Americans are protected from life-threatening disease through vaccines. "The important thing to remember is that getting the disease is much more dangerous than getting the vaccine," Dr. Collins says.

    What you can do:

    • Be sure your family members receive regular physicals.
    • Ask your doctor whether your family is up to date on their immunizations.
    • Keep an immunization record and update it after every doctor visit.
    • Bring this immunization record to each doctor appointment.

    Dr. Collins says advancements within the last decade have dramatically diminished the threat of polio, measles, mumps and other diseases in America. "The only way to continue this is to continue immunizing our children and seeking medical attention when symptoms occur," he says.