Being pregnant can be one of the most exciting times of your life. It is a journey, one where you want to keep you and your little one safe until the baby’s eventual arrival. This includes all of the various tests and vaccines that women get when they are pregnant. It is well known that pregnant women should receive a flu shot, but what about tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine? Should you get one? The answer to that question is a definite yes.
Antimalarial medication is used to both prevent and treat malaria. When used correctly and taken for the prescribed duration, these medications can reduce your chance of contracting malaria by up to a staggering 90%.
Taking antimalarials can be an essential step to keeping you safe on your trip abroad. For some travelers, access to antimalarials could be a crucial reason to visit a travel clinic. Should you consider antimalarials? Here are the questions travelers should be asking themselves before they travel to a malaria-endemic location.
Vaccines are created with a common purpose: to keep us safe while stopping the spread of deadly illnesses. But, not all vaccines are developed in the same way. Two of the main types of vaccines are weakened and dead vaccines. What exactly are weakened and dead vaccines? And what is the difference between the two?
Although it may not feel like it, the fall months are right around the corner. Colder, wetter temperatures causing people to stay inside also bring increased exposure to germs and viruses. Suddenly finding yourself with a runny nose, cough, and muscle aches from the common cold or influenza is not uncommon during the colder seasons.
While influenza may seem more like a nuisance than a fatal disease, it is possible to die from the virus. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported of the 35.5 million people sick from influenza, 34,200 people died from the disease between 2018-2019.
But just how deadly is influenza and who is most at risk?
Our primary method of vaccination uses a needle and syringe to inject a serum into our bodies which helps train our immune system to protect us from infections. But, scientists are discovering new needle-free methods of vaccination.
Needle-free vaccines are being developed as a response to many concerns about standard needle-syringe vaccines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, estimates that more than 300,000 healthcare providers experience needle-stick injuries annually in US hospitals. An estimated 5 accidental needle-stick injuries occur per 100 injections worldwide, posing a considerable risk to healthcare workers.
