There are so many vaccine myths out there, we had to create a whole other post just to debunk a few more.
We covered a lot of the most popular myths in our first installment, now we’re back to finish the job.
Vaccines contain harmful chemicals
For a decade, parents have avoided vaccinating their kids because they heard most vaccines contain mercury. This is false.
Vaccines do not contain mercury, but a chemical known as ethylmercury, which may sound similar but is simply a preservative to increase the shelf-life of the vaccine. Without it, vaccines would spoil.
Vaccinating a sick person is a bad idea
Flu shots and MMR vaccines can induce symptoms in some cases, which causes people to avoid getting vaccinated when they are already feeling sick.
Vaccines are perfectly safe regardless of your current health status, but they might be more convenient once you’re feeling better.
Chicken pox are easy to deal with
Just because you had chicken pox as a child and survived, it doesn’t mean your children will have as easy a time.
Chicken pox is a potentially deadly disease, and it becomes more threatening with age. Protect you and your family with an updated chicken pox vaccine.
Vaccines provide 100 percent protection
We wish this were true. Sadly vaccines are ineffective about five percent of the time, but this is varies from person to person, and is more common in communities with low vaccination rates.
For maximum protection against disease, get yourself vaccinated and encourage your friends and family to get vaccinated as well.
Children should be older before they’re vaccinated
Children as young as one day old should be vaccinated against harmful diseases, but there are some vaccines dedicated to different stages in life. Find out which vaccines you need and when.
Stay updated on your vaccines. You’ll be happy you did.
For more information on vaccines; message, call or visit us at Mountain Peaks Family Practice.