Wellness Vaccines
Wellness vaccines are an essential part of preventative health care and disease eradication. From the time wellness vaccines arrived in our state, North Dakotans have dutifully and safely gotten immunizations from infancy and throughout the lifespan to prevent their own illness and protect their communities from life-threatening or life-altering diseases. North Dakota is falling behind the nation for wellness vaccines, leaving our most vulnerable community members susceptible to preventable diseases like certain forms of cancer, measles, and shingles.
Freedom means being able to live the life we choose, and illness often prevents us from exercising our freedoms. By working together, we can help prevent illness and ensure that we all have access to what we need to lead healthy, fulfilling lives in the places it matters most, our homes, schools, workplaces, and faith communities. When our communities enjoy good health, we all prosper by experiencing lives free from the interruptions of illness.
personal trainers for the immune system
Wellness vaccines act as a trainer for the immune system, providing our bodies with the instructions and practice they need to fight off specific infectious diseases properly. In this way, vaccines don’t fight infection alone; they simply help train our bodies to do that work.
Helpful throughout the lifespan
Wellness vaccines are helpful at each stage of life, from infancy through our elder years. Currently, a staggering 73% of adults in North Dakota are under-protected from a painful and preventable Shingles infection, recommended for adults 50 years of age and older.
In North Dakota, 40% of adolescents are under-protected from potentially lethal forms of cancer that can be prevented with HPV immunizations.
Here’s a parent-friendly resource that can help you determine if your child is ready for school in North Dakota.
talk to the doctor you trust
If you’re behind on your wellness vaccines or are taking care of someone who might be, make sure to talk to your primary care physician, pediatrician, or another doctor about catching up on your wellness immunizations. And then learn how to talk to your community by joining our coalition.
New Report:
The State of North Dakota’s Immunizations
This thorough secondary data analysis assesses the current state of routine wellness and influenza vaccine coverage in our state, with the goal of assisting and informing communities, citizens, and decision-makers in planning, policy development, and the pursuit of resources related to maintaining or improving vaccine confidence.
