Is there an easy way to see what we have and don't have already? I haven't been able to get in with a new primary care doctor ever since I turned 18 so I'm a bit out of the loop on what I need to get.
I just went to my home state's dept of health site and submitted the very simple form and they emailed me the record in less than 3 hours. That showed me my childhood ones I got there.
My current state has a bit more of a process but it looks like they can also send me the ones I got here.
Your PCP is also the good source of vaccinations. Anti Vaxers are so obnoxiously loud and a lot of doctors get discouraged and helpless. If you seek help, they will be more than happy to assist you.
@voices4vaccines.bsky.social has credible vaccine information on their website, donate to support them and sign up for their newsletter. They also offer free vaccine basics courses and so much more:
which should be why you make sure ur up to date on the funny juices right about now
even if he werent anti-vax you should still probably check up every now and then just in case
I’ve had to get several only because my job couldn’t read my pediatrician’s handwriting so you should be okay, but double check again with them if you can or ask the person administering it!
You know all the people in Congress will continue to get vaccinated. Just like the Tangerine twat got the covid cocktail and claimed it was no big deal at the same time. They always take care of their own even if they hate each other
We are but the concern is will flu shots and Covid boosters be available this fall. A dipshit Congressman from Kentucky is introducing legislation to do away with Covid vaccines.
This reminds me that 2025 is my 10th year since my last tetanus booster. Up to date on everything else but definitely need to schedule that! Thank you!
It’s like they’re deliberately forgetting the main pillars of vaccination. Reduce the chance an infection takes hold. Reduce severity if it does. Minimize the chance it spreads to someone vulnerable; the young, elderly and immunocompromised…
I'm applying for a health sciences program so I just had a physical and got titers done and started the Hep B series (I'm older than it being on the schedule for infants). Need an MMR booster but I am very glad I didn't wait.
WHEW. Hang in there. Lots of rest. Stay hydrated. And take something to help with any discomfort afterwards as long as your GP sees no issue with you doing so!
Hey Chise! I talked to my mother and I had the single MMR shot vaccine when I was a kid. (Born in the early 1980s.) Do I need an update or am I still good?
Thanks for all your excellent work over the years!
my fucking stupid right wing cousin doesnt believe me when i tell them they should get vaccines because a nut job has taken hold and may very well make vaccines be non existant
I tried to tell them you assisted with help making the pfizer vaccine and this is serious, but dont trust aly T_T
Their response
"we can get it later, they aren't gonna run out of stock, they just want you to get it now because they want money because no one needs them and they are useless"
Me: "THEY WONT EXIST LATER OR ARE GONNA BE FUCKING EXPENSIVE AT THE VERY LEAST YOU IDIOT"
What if I'm not sure what all I've had? Born in the 1980s so there's no electronic record of my childhood/teen/early adult vaccines? Tried the Health Dept. & no luck. PCP said I was good to go but I'm not so sure. Are there certain ones I can get even if I might have already gotten them like polio?
Thanks! I was mainly unsure about: MMR (may have gotten before college in 2000), Varicella, Hep B, and polio. I was born in 1981 so I don't think the Polio vax especially was available.
After the election I asked my doc about this. (In my case, I knew measles was up-to-date but was pretty sure I had skipped the final dose of either Hep A or B.) Anyway, she said it was very easy to check titers for most of these via bloodwork. Which I did. Turns out I did need to update Hep B!
You should have gotten vaccinated for polio - my sibling and I were born in 82 and 86, we both got vaccinated for polio, MMR, TDAP, Hep B, etc. Polio is still a required vaccine for most schools. You probably got a meningitis vaccine before leaving for college.
I'm actually at my PCP office now, I'm going to ask him if I should get a pneumonia shot & if there are any others I need (I already got flu + COVID this year)
On a related note, many people mistakenly believe tetanus comes from rust. That's a myth. Tetanus comes from dirt AKA soil. You don't have to step on a rusty nail, a deep enough or dirty enough wound of any kind can be a tetanus risk. If it's been more than 5 years & you have a wound, get a booster.
Is it ok to get a vaccine again if im unclear if I got it as a child? Just in case. I think I probably did get the usual ones required for school, but I'm not sure when anti vaccine sentiments began in my family.
Absolutely! If your GP sees no issues you definitely can. Some people get antibody titer tests beforehand. For myself, I ended up having 4 MMR vaccines in my lifetime since my job couldn’t read my pediatrician’s writing date wise. 🤭
You can get them every five years, especially if you have a reason like a wound or are going to be doing something risky like barefoot tapdancing on a soccer field.
IF YOU CAN AFFORD THEM.
Almost 50 million people living here have no healthcare coverage. 50 million more are underinsured (most only havecatastrophic coverage). A Covid booster is $135-$150. An MMR booster is $350. Other shots run in the same range. How can someone earning $7.25/hour afford them?
These were prices quoted by the local health department. They won't give childhood boosters to adults for free. We have to pay cash. I've had chickenpox. My kids had it. I'm still not immune in spite of 5 boosters as an adult. My employer used to cover them. Now I'm disabled; I may as well be dead.
The "Bridge" program, which covered Covid shots and boosters for the uninsured and underinsured, ended last summer. They're no longer free, either. If you want one, you have to pay. CASH. No credit cards.
Kids can get necessary shots for free. Adults can't.
The minute my hubby and I found out the RFK Jr was up for the nomination we ran to get all of our vaccinations and made sure we were up to date. I highly recommend it. People run!!!
The cvs site recommended hep B for me, but not A. A bit of research indicates the shot became available in the 1990s. So I may or may not have had it. Think I'll schedule that one soon. Tdap is due next year, but do we think it will still be available then? 🤔
I'm ridiculously needlephobic. Up to date on COVID. Just a few minutes ago got flu, tdap, & first Hep B shot. I'm still shaking from the adrenaline dump, but glad I did it!
Thank you ❤️ I didn't even cry lol. My first COVID shot back in the day, I definitely cried from fear. This was also first time I went w/o a support person and first multiple stabs in a day. I'm still scared AF but getting better!
Brought my 16 month old to the pediatrician last week to make sure we were as up to date as possible. Going back in a few weeks for the remaining boosters - at least got him the MMR vaccine! Oh and a flu shot
That’s a vaccine that is stockpiled but is not one you can readily get at a pharmacy. But with that said, you’re going to want to make sure you have gotten your human influenza vaccine!
Also, cancel all monthly subscriptions (Cable TV, Netflix, Amazon prime, ect.) because you'll need the extra $ when tariffs skyrocket prices of basic necessities.
And most importantly: #DoNotObey the fascists' illegal and unconstitutional demands.
Got my yearly Covid and flu boosters, and was fully vaxxed growing up.
Am currently ~40, and at my yearly physical, my primary doctor said there wasn’t anything I specifically needed, is this a valid finding, or should I be pushing back?
I'm the same age/in the same boat. I know my mom got me vaccinated with whatever what required at the time, but there's no electronic record. PCP said I was good to go but I'm not so sure.
Come to Canada! We still believe in science! I think our government will entice the best and brightest brains from America. The world needs your work to continue ❤️
I've tried to immigrate before with a biomed background and was told that I was highly unlikely to get in recently; my friends in canada tell me that it's not liable to get better.
Because why…? Rfk? It’s late here on the east coast, and I’m not sure I catch your meaning. I’ve wanted to live there since I visited in the 90s. I have chronic illness, so maybe y’all can take me in now that rfk will turn this country into a disease vector 🙏
If I'm in the area where they're giving them and don't mind getting stabbed that day then sure I'll probably get one, but I'm certainly not making a special trip for one.
the only one I gotta get to "catch 'em all" is pneumococcal pneumonia. I assume that since it's now recommended for 50 and up, my insurance will pay (also I have asthma, another reason I need it)
I’m extremely pro-vaccines (as a scientist and non-idiot) but last Wednesday I got flu/pneumonia shots and I’ve seldom been sicker (103°+). I didn’t know I could sweat that much and I was a distance runner.
Can't stress it enough, last year was walking mah dogs in the yard, stepped on a Rusty nail that went through my boot and jabbed me, spent the evening at urgent care getting a tetanus vaccine
This is the worst possible time for my health insurance to have booted me off...been trying to scramble to get it back for other reasons and getting my vaccines updated ASAP is one more problem for the list.
I CANNOT believe we have put an anti-vaxer in charge of the HHS. What is wrong with this country. I'm disgusted and appalled that this is what so many have chosen to support. One can only hope natural selection weeds out this level of stupid in time.
I have often considered that if the MAGA cult would turn the vicious rage we have seen them so freely unleash on everyone they fear, dislike, or who disagrees with them, onto their cult leader, this would be over soon…
But hakeem jefferies and chuck schumer are mad at YOU, and everyone else, for daring to fill up their voicemails with complaints that they’re not doing anything
Also, get your titers measured! Even if your vaccines are up to date, you may have waning immunity. I needed an MMR booster. You probably need a Tdap booster. Many people need varicella (chicken pox) boosters.
You can get them every five years. If you go to the doctor/hospital with a "tetanus could happen" injury and you haven't had a tetanus shot in five years, they give you one.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure the frequency isn't about safety, as your previous dose will have been destroyed by your immune system within weeks, it's just about how useful/needed it is to get another one.
Me and my partner made it a point to get our flu and covid vaccines before Further Confusion, so I'm glad we did so recently. Thank you for everything you do.
Is there guidance (or are you aware of scholarly papers) on duration of immunity for childhood vaccines (I don't mean TDaP, I mean stuff like MMR, Polio, chickenpox). I've seen a ton of disabled people say they tried to get just-in-case boosters but their doctor acted like they're being irrational.
If you're able to get bloodwork done easily, you can do an antibody check. After the election, I had my titers checked for measles, mumps, rubella, and Hep A/B. I also requested the pneumococcal vaccine. My doc hadn't even realized the age had been lowered for that one!
Thanks for trying to help. I'm aware of the antibody titre tests, but I think many people would prefer to start with a heightened level of immunity, because we know that it'll be devastating, but no one can predict the full extent or duration of damage to our healthcare delivery system. If a vaccine
gives 32 good years of protection, and you're 29 now, you'd likely be fine for another few years (depending on your personal immune system), but we cannot assume free and fair elections for 2028, or that another party would swiftly or effectively fix anything currently being destroyed. Too many ifs.
This but I’m also terrified of the fact that any children who are born essentially any time after today are going to be in an extreme amount of danger, since they’re now vulnerable to polio, measles, TB, etc. Can states protect their state’s right to allow citizens to vaccinate?
Wondering this too, my daughter is 4 so hasn’t had a second dose of some vaccines for the most serious diseases yet. I can understand how people can mislead by misinformation on some things but not understanding debilitating diseases and prevention by vaccines is mind boggling to me.
Me too. I want to be a dad and keep my kid safe and healthy, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let fascists take that from me. I just hope it’s not too late to stop all this.
Please note: If you are 50+, the CDC last year lowered the age to get the pneumococcal vaccine. It used to be 65. Spread the word and get vaccinated if eligible.
also it may depend on where you are but i have asthma and multicare recommends that i get it, and i'm 19. may apply to other "high risk" folks, so if you haven't got one, it may be worth it
especially because, i don't know if this is a global trend or just where i am, a lot of young people (teenagers & college students) are getting pneumonia??? it's kinda scary actually and i don't know why its happening
What I'm really worried about are my children. They can't get specific vaccinations until certain ages, so I can't them everything they'll need all at once.
Chise, would you advise checking polio titers? I had all of my polio vaccinations as a child as well as MMR (going to check those titers btw) so I’m curious about polio titers. Thank you
I'm not even American but I'm busy trying to get all the vaccines I can before global healthcare collapses around us all. For all the many obvious reasons...
But RFK is gonna get rid of those. Plus my parents probably aren’t gonna cuz everything is too expensive. And any time I go to them about the stuff they always tell me that “they can’t worry about this right now”(they’re anti Trump)
Do you have something for under 18. I want to discuss with my high schooler's pediatrician what can be done to keep her safe through college. She should be up to date with most of not all but I worry about meningitis
I wish I could. I've got the chronic version of Gullain Barre Syndrome. It hasn't lessened since hospitalization and vaccines could start it all over again. 🥴
How much does it cost w/o insurance? I've been turned away in the past by various drugstore chains b/c the database of COVID vaccines shows I've received one within a year, but they might not track flu in the same way.
I’m sorry, that I don’t know. I’ve been lucky my insurance has covered them all. I thought it was just an issue of pushback from your doctor’s office Sorry 🫤
Not only am I immediately getting caught up on vaccinations ASAP but I'm as of right now prioritizing a new job. I work food service, I have high exposure to diseases especially since two of my coworkers are just completely careless when they're sick.
Thanks, I'm sorry for the nation. I might go get another COVID booster if they'll let me. Hopefully it won't be the last one I'll ever be able to receive.
Up-to-date on all my shots, I've encouraged everyone I know to make sure they have all their vaccinations in light of the coming destruction of federal health systems.
A few years back I got RXes for everything I could think of all the way down to yellow fever, but I thought I’d be cashing them in when we had infrastructure collapse, not sanity collapse
It’s hard for most adults to know what that means. Which adult boosters and vaccs should a 30 yo have? A 45yo asthmatic? A 65yo? Vaccines can be hard to afford. Which to prioritize if can only afford one or 2?
Can you make an original post about what are the important vaccines to seek out if one had to triage the vaccinations they could afford for those of us on limited incomes and limited resources?
I would see here! And for that it might be just a little difficult only because everyone’s state/local department is a little different? That would be the first place I would check for low/no-cost vaccines. But I’ll see if there isn’t something I can put together!
Fo example , I am fortunate enough to be in California, but the options I see involve a LOT of travel to far away places for some, so if I am driving 100 or so miles to the city, I want to pick my battles carefully based on the most important vaccinations.
I fell behind on them due to lack of insurance. Do you know if there’s any work around to that that’s not outrageously priced? Money has kept me from doing walk ins at pharmacys
Quick question. I got my flu/covid/tdap shots a few weeks ago. I couldn't feel the needle go in for one of them, and I felt liquid squirt out of the needle onto my arm. Can I assume it was administered properly? This was at a Walgreens.
Just read the news. I worry for you all in the US. Am trying to ask around if we get any vaccine supply from you guys here too right now (apart from The Better Kind of COVID Vaxx), just in case.
does anyone have any tips on how to harass your insurance company into sending you your insurance card bc mine hasn't after months of waiting and multiple attempts to contact them and i can't afford $200+ dollars to get vaxxed
i'll have to try that, i'll ask my husband to send me the login so i have access to it (im on his insurance, they havent sent his new card yet either) and can give that info to cvs, thank u for the help!
Comments
My current state has a bit more of a process but it looks like they can also send me the ones I got here.
https://www.voicesforvaccines.org/
Not sure why he doesn’t want other folk to have them…
even if he werent anti-vax you should still probably check up every now and then just in case
Thanks for all your excellent work over the years!
Only have Tdap to go.
I collected vaccines like Pokemon!
He really is speedrunning “kill everyone” huh
You have been a great source of important information.
I tried to tell them you assisted with help making the pfizer vaccine and this is serious, but dont trust aly T_T
"we can get it later, they aren't gonna run out of stock, they just want you to get it now because they want money because no one needs them and they are useless"
Me: "THEY WONT EXIST LATER OR ARE GONNA BE FUCKING EXPENSIVE AT THE VERY LEAST YOU IDIOT"
Today it hurts like a bitch
Last time I got it was back12/23/2016
Almost 50 million people living here have no healthcare coverage. 50 million more are underinsured (most only havecatastrophic coverage). A Covid booster is $135-$150. An MMR booster is $350. Other shots run in the same range. How can someone earning $7.25/hour afford them?
Kids can get necessary shots for free. Adults can't.
So they don't have to OUTLAW the vaccine outright; they can just keep it held up in 'insufficient proof of safety' hell.
Flames. Flames on the side of my face. I'll work on it in person, have to go in soon anyway.
That second one though...
Be ready for a lazy 2-3 days.
And most importantly: #DoNotObey the fascists' illegal and unconstitutional demands.
https://www.health.gov.au/topics/immunisation?language=und
https://www.health.gov.au/topics/immunisation/getting-vaccinated?language=und
NSW:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/default.aspx
Am currently ~40, and at my yearly physical, my primary doctor said there wasn’t anything I specifically needed, is this a valid finding, or should I be pushing back?
(have to get a 2nd one 1 month after the first)
I mean I haven't gotten a flu shot in awhile, but those aren't really necessary.
I've never caught the flu despite being around people who've had it.
Now if they had a strep throat vaccine that'd be different.
I've been sick with strep nearly a dozens times in my life, it's the only thing I've ever been sick with besides covid.
If you're someone who is susceptible to the flu and has history of catching it than yeah probably get a vaccine.
If you're like me it's not really a necessity it won't hurt, but there's no point in rushing to get it.
Said car still isn't running but it's had plenty of chances to bite me, and bite me good after sitting in a lot untouched for 5 years 👀
I hope I can get them done in time...
Regardless, I appreciate you keeping positive in light of current events.
We are also fully up to date on our covid shots.
(This is obviously just a joke, vaccines are very important ^w^)
Biden had NIH working on a vaccine for the bird flu.
Trump cut the funding and stopped the work.
The same thing he did on the Covid vaccine.
History repeating itself.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/imz-schedules/adult-age.html
I'm so depressed right now.
https://www.cambridgepublichealth.org/pneumococcal-vaccination-from-65-to-50-years-old/
Mister brain worm is the last person who should ever have been put into an office
For vaccines with a lifespan of 3-6 months.
Pisses me off that I could be more protected from COVID and flu and I can't even opt into that.
Everyone should get their vaccines now!!
You're appreciated so much. I hope you know that. 🙏
#resistProject2025
Seriously how did the US end up here?
just sucks, I'm sorry Chise
Luckily, I can get the T-dap jab where I work.
Got my flu jab last fall!