Choctaw Nation Community Health Caring Van.
Choctaw Nation educates and assists public with Tdap and Pneumovax vaccines
By Kelly Adams, RN/CHN Director
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
DURANT, Okla.– Most people don’t know the details when it comes to vaccines, but this year, the Choctaw Nation hopes to educate and vaccinate the public about Tdap (a combined vaccine aimed to immunize against tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough) and Pneumovax (immunization for the prevention of the streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria).
Along with the facts, the Choctaw Nation Community Health Nurses will offer both vaccines from the Caring Van located behind the Healthy Living Tent at the Tushka Homma Capital grounds. Vaccines are free to the public.
Here’s what the public can learn about from the Choctaw Nation Nurses:
What is Whooping Cough and Tdap?
Whooping cough—or pertussis—is a very serious respiratory (in the lungs and breathing tubes) infection caused by the pertussis bacteria. It causes violent coughing you can’t stop. Whooping cough is most harmful for young babies and can be deadly.
Everyone around a baby needs a whooping cough vaccine Anyone who comes in close contact with a baby, from older siblings and cousins to grandparents and caregivers, should be up to date with whooping cough vaccination. CDC recommends only one dose of Tdap for most people 11 years and older. Currently, the only group that CDC recommends get more than one dose of this vaccine is pregnant women, who should get the vaccine each time they are pregnant.
The recommended time to get Tdap is at 11 or 12 years of age. Teens who didn’t get Tdap as a preteen should get one dose the next time they visit their doctor. CDC recommends that all adults 19 years of age and older who didn’t get Tdap as a preteen or teen should also get one dose of Tdap.
If you aren’t up to date with Tdap vaccine, getting vaccinated at least two weeks before coming into close contact with a baby is especially important. These two weeks give your body enough time to build up protection against whooping cough. You can get Tdap no matter when you got your last tetanus shot.
Who needs Pneumovax?
Pneumococcal disease is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria and it is a leading cause of vaccine preventable illness and death in the United States.
Although anyone can get pneumococcal disease, some people are at greater risk than others: Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria, including those most likely to cause serious disease.
• People 65 years and older
• Smokers
• People with certain health problems (i.e., heart or lung disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes, asthma, alcoholism, cirrhosis)
• People with a weakened immune system
• HIV/AIDS
Pneumococcal disease can lead to serious infections of the:
• Lungs (pneumonia),
• Blood (bacteremia), and
• Covering of the brain (meningitis).
Pneumococcal pneumonia kills about 1 out of 20 people who get it. Bacteremia kills about 1 person in 5, and meningitis about 3 people in 10. For further information, you may contact Kelly Adams, RN/CHN Director at 580-584-6697 ext. 33008.