The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults and children with chronic medical conditions, such as Diabetes, receive a flu shot in October or November every year. Vaccination individuals at high risk just before the influenza season each year is the most effective measure for reducing the impact of the flu. CDC also recommends early flu vaccination for adult and children who are household contracts or caregivers of people with diabetes. When family members get a flu shot, it helps to keep the healthy and protects the person with diabetes for catching the flu.
Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is recommended for anyone 2 years of age or older who has Diabetes or another high-risk condition. While most people will only need one pneumococcal polysaccharide shot over the course of their lifetime, this may not be the case for people with diabetes 65 years of age or older who were previously immunized when they were younger than 65, if the vaccine was administered more than five years ago. It is important to remember that a person should receive no more than two doses of polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (ppv23) in his or her lifetime and the two doses must be spaced at least five years apart. Also, the new conjugated pneumococcal vaccine (pcv7) is recommended for all children who are 2-23 months of age and should be considered for children aged 24-59 months who are at high risk for pneumoccoccal infection.
A pneumococcal shot and an annual flu shot could prevent complications and death associated with pneumonia and influenza. Make flu and pneumococcal vaccination for people with diabetes and their family and household contacts a priority for the season!
Come have your flu shot!
Oct. 23 at Bay Mills Resort Horizon Center, 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. and Nov. 13 at the Bay Mills Health Center, 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
