Adult Immunizations

The vaccine for shingles is recommended for use in people 60 years old and older to prevent shingles.  The older a person is, the more severe the effects of shingles typically are.

What is Shingles?

Shingles is a painful skin rash, often with blisters, that is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV), the same virus that causes chickenpox.  Anyone who has had chickenpox can develop shingles because the VZV remains in the nerve cells of the body after the chicken pox infection clears and VZV can reappear years later causing shingles.  A shingles rash usually appears on one side of the face or body and lasts from 2-4 weeks.  Its main symptom is pain, which can be quite severe.  Other symptoms of shingles can include fever, headache, chills and upset stomach.  Very rarely, a shingles infection can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitis) or death.  For more information about Shingles, please visit the CDC’s Website.

The Vermilion County Health Department now offers the Shingles Vaccine.  Please call the Immunization Department at 217-431-2662 ext. 249 to schedule an appointment.  

Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis are very serious diseases.  Tdap vaccine can protect us from these diseases.  And, Tdap vaccine given to pregnant women can protect newborn babies against pertussis.  Tdap is especially important for health care professionals and anyone having close contact with a baby younger than 12 months.  Another vaccine, called Td, protects against tetanus and diphtheria, but not pertussis.  A Td booster should be given every 10 years.  Tdap may be given as one of these boosters if you have never gotten Tdap before.  Tdap may also be given after a severe cut or burn to prevent tetanus infection.

TETANUS (Lockjaw) is rare in the United States today. It causes painful muscle tightening and stiffness, usually all over the body.

• It can lead to tightening of muscles in the head and neck so you can’t open your mouth, swallow, or sometimes even breathe. Tetanus kills about 1 out of 10 people who are infected even after receiving the best medical care.

DIPHTHERIA is also rare in the United States today. It can cause a thick coating to form in the back of the throat.

• It can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis, and death.

PERTUSSIS (Whooping Cough) causes severe coughing spells, which can cause difficulty breathing, vomiting, and disturbed sleep.

• It can also lead to weight loss, incontinence, and rib fractures. Up to 2 in 100 adolescents and 5 in 100 adults with pertussis are hospitalized or have complications, which could include pneumonia or death.

These diseases are caused by bacteria. Diphtheria and pertussis are spread from person to person through secretions from coughing or sneezing. Tetanus enters the body through cuts, scratches, or wounds.

Before vaccines, as many as 200,000 cases of diphtheria, 200,000 cases of pertussis, and hundreds of cases of tetanus, were reported in the United States each year. Since vaccination began, reports of cases for tetanus and diphtheria have dropped by about 99% and for pertussis by about 80%.

For more information about the Tdap immunizations, please click HERE

The Vermilion County offers the Tdap and the Td vaccine.  Please call the Immunization Department at 217-431-2662 ext. 249 to schedule an appointment.  

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